LeBron James would appreciate it if just a few moments of his life were kept private.
The most interesting part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 121-112 win over the Los Angeles Lakers this week came after the game. LeBron James, who is rumored to be considering the Lakers this summer in free agency, had some words with rookie Lonzo Ball.
LeBron pulled the savvy Michael Jordan move of covering his mouth to stop any opportunity for lip readers. The problem was that there was a live microphone nearby, and so the world was able to hear what James said to Ball.
“Find your zone and just stay f***ing locked in,” LeBron told Lonzo via CBS Sports. “The media is going to ask you what I told you right now. Tell them nothing. Just be aggressive every single day. It’s white noise to you. That’s all it is. All right? Let’s go.”
If the two of them had just admitted to the media what transpired, then this wouldn’t be a story. However, they both denied that any real conversation occurred. That is what caused everyone to start wondering whether or not LeBron brought up the possibility of rolling to Los Angeles this summer.
James wasn’t happy about his words becoming public, and he made that clear to Cleveland.com.
“Some things could be held private, like my conversation with Lonzo,” James said Saturday. “Everything doesn’t need to be said and people find out. There should be some type of privacy.”
Everyone is entitled to a little bit of personal space in this world, but he shouldn’t be completely surprised that there are some recording devices on during a live game. James easily could’ve sent Ball that information in a text or e-mail, and there is a certain element of showmanship that was involved here. LeBron knew that they would both be asked about the encounter by the media and seemed to relish the chance to deprive reporters of the information.
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The Cavaliers are looking good so far this season, but the Lakers continue to improve as well. It’s tough to imagine James leaving Cleveland once again, however, we have definitely seen this movie before. He’ll probably go to wherever a championship is most likely, and it’s hard to blame him for that given all the criticism over his entire career. Maybe he’ll join Ball and the Lakers to see if an infusion of youth helps extend his championship window. Only time will tell.