The Phoenix Suns could be a viable destination for LeBron James
By Adam Maynes
San Antonio Spurs (12-1 odds)
In 2017-18 the San Antonio Spurs finally failed to reach 50 wins for the first time this century, and the only reason that that streak didn’t stretch any longer was because the lockout shortened season of 1998-99 was only 50 games itself (the Spurs still won 37 games, were on pace for 61 wins in an 82-game season, and won the NBA Championship).
Shoot, they even managed 50 wins in the lockout shortened season of 2011-12 that was at only 66 games long!
With the Spurs finally, FINALLY, on a downhill slide with an aging roster, an aging head coach, and a disgruntled superstar that might be forcing his way out, if LeBron James signs with them and Leonard decides to hang around all while playing in Greg Popovic’s system, I’m done.
DONE.
That being said, Suns fans shouldn’t be all that worried.
Like the Rockets, the Spurs are old. In fact, they were the third oldest team in the league in 2017-18.
Regardless of who they would retain of the current core, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and LaMarcus Aldridge are not enough to put the Spurs over the top in the Western Conference, even with Tony Parker (who is 35), Manu Ginobili (40), and Paul Gasol (37). To fit James onto that roster, there would have to be some serious re-shaping going on, especially with Leonard’s Super Max coming into play should he re-sign after next season.
The team doesn’t have a lot of cap flexibility to work with, and only the 18th and 49th overall picks in the draft to try and entice a trade with someone looking to swap veterans for picks.
Don’t get me wrong, while I wouldn’t think that that team would be a championship-level one even with LeBron added, I still wouldn’t put it past them to be ultra-competitive and make a great run.
Would LeBron, Leonard, and Aldridge be enough of a core to get past Golden State in the West? It is hard to think so, and maybe they could once in a three-year window. Yet still, as interesting as it would be to see James and Leonard on the same team, San Antonio would still have to find younger and more athletic pieces to place around them, as Parker, Ginobili, and Gasol age out.