Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- LeBron James will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and his decision will shape his final championship pursuit.
- The Lakers have limited cap space and may not offer the roster support needed to compete at the highest level next season.
- The Spurs have a young superstar and a supporting cast that aligns perfectly with LeBron's timeline for one last title run.
LeBron James is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and there's no guarantee that he returns to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers are projected to have around $50 million in cap space before re-signing Austin Reaves. This is their best chance to rebuild on the fly around Luka Dončić, as Reaves' $20.9 million cap hold is far below what he projects to earn on his next contract.
The Lakers are saying all the right things about wanting LeBron back, but he's reportedly felt slighted by the organization at times throughout his eight seasons in L.A. Both sides would be well withing their rights to genuinely explore their other options in free agency.
For LeBron, that should be an obvious choice. If he's serious about contending for one more championship before he retires, the San Antonio Spurs would give him the best chance to add to his ring collection while not shorting him financially.
Why LeBron should join the Spurs
The Spurs' biggest sales pitch stands at 7-foot-4 and goes by the name of Victor Wembanyama. He claims that he's human, but the verdict remains out on that one.
Wembanyama just turned 22 in January. He's in his third NBA season and first playoff run. Over the past few weeks, he's already had games with 35 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks, and a triple-double with an NBA-playoffs-record 12 blocks. Both of those came against his fellow countryman, four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder and two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama finished with 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a double-overtime 122-115 win. He did most of his damage down the stretch against Chet Holmgren, who finished as the runner-up to him in the Defensive Player of the Year race.
Oh, is this where we mention that Wemby became the first unanimous DPOY in NBA history this season? A year in which he led the NBA in blocks for the third straight season? (Reminder: He's only been in the league for three seasons.)
Wembanyama isn't the only appealing part of the Spurs, though. Their star-studded backcourt of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper could also make life far easier on LeBron.
Fox and Castle were the Spurs' starting backcourt this season, while the rookie Harper mostly came off the bench. But with Fox sidelined by an ankle injury in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Harper moved into the starting lineup and had 24 points, 11 rebounds, seven steals, six assists and only one turnover in a career-high 47 minutes.
Fox made the All-Star Game this year. He might be the third-best guard on the Spurs' roster moving forward.
Beyond those four, the Spurs also have Devin Vassell signed for three more years to a contract worth around 16% of the salary cap moving forward. They also have Keldon Johnson on a $17.5 million expiring contract, and Luke Kornet on an effectively $10.45 million expiring contract. They have a $3.0 million team option on Julian Champagnie and have 2025 No. 14 overall pick Carter Bryant on his rookie-scale deal for three more years.
The Spurs might lose Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk in free agency this offseason, but neither would be major losses. Especially if James chose to replace Barnes.
Is the price right?
Wembanyama still has one more year left on his rookie-scale deal, while Castle has two and Harper has three. They won't begin to get absurdly expensive for another few seasons, which gives them plenty of time to make moves below the aprons.
The Spurs currently project to be nowhere near the first apron next season, which means they should have the full $15.0 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency. If LeBron isn't willing to settle for that, the Spurs could always offer to sign-and-trade for him while offering Vassell and/or Johnson in return.
LeBron might find it difficult to fetch offers from legitimate contenders for more than the non-taxpayer MLE. Even if he does, the Spurs arguably have some of the best contracts to offer to the Lakers in return. Vassell could be a strong fit alongside Dončić and Reaves at a reasonable price, while Johnson and Kornet could bolster the Lakers for now while leaving their long-term financial flexibility untouched.
LeBron joining forces with Stephen Curry would be fun from a nostalgia perspective, but the Warriors can't get above the non-taxpayer MLE unless they offer Kristaps Porziņģis or Draymond Green in a sign-and-trade for him. The Cavaliers are in the same boat, although the Lakers should have strong interest in a sign-and-trade that nets them Jarrett Allen.
The Eastern Conference would give LeBron an easier path to the NBA Finals, although the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers will be back at full strength next season. Still, LeBron teaming with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley would likely make them the prohibitive favorites in the East next season no matter how they fare in this year's conference finals against the New York Knicks.
LeBron has long expressed his love for Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks are already projected to be only a few million dollars below the first apron, and that's before re-signing Mitchell Robinson. They could offer any of Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges or Josh Hart to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade for LeBron, but how desperate will they be to shake up their core if they make it to the NBA Finals this year?
The Spurs might prefer to spend their non-taxpayer MLE on a younger player who's better aligned with the developmental timeline of Wembanyama and their other young guards. Signing LeBron would be a one-year stab at a championship. But what a stab it could be.
If Wembanyama stays healthy, he has the best shot of any player since LeBron of dethroning Michael Jordan as the greatest player in NBA history. What better way for LeBron to close out his career than passing the potential-MJ-slayer torch as Wemby's teammate for one final season?
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