LeBron James is being linked to several teams, and talks about his next destination will not end until he signs a new contract this summer. The Houston Rockets are now being tagged as one of the possible landing spots for the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar when he becomes a free agent after this season.
In a report titled “Destination LeBron” on ESPN , Houston was named as an ideal landing place for James. According to the report, Rockets guard Chris Paul could entice James to move to Houston in the offseason. The two superstars are close friends, and have expressed desire to play together before the end of their respective careers.
James, who is playing in his 15th season in the NBA, is all about winning. If the Cavaliers fail to win the title over the Golden State Warriors again this season, moving to Houston will be his best option if he wants to beat the defending champions in a playoff series.
By joining the Rockets, he would form a trio with Paul and James Harden, which will be a nightmare for most teams in the league. Houston will also be an attractive destination for players who are willing to take a pay cut in exchange for the chance of winning a championship.
According to the report, the Rockets will have to do some salary cap work to make a room for James. They can also try to offer a trade package involving Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon and future draft picks if the four-time MVP decides to exercise his player option for the 2018-19 NBA season.
While it will likely force Houston to make major moves to form a big three featuring James, an NBA insider also earlier tagged the Rockets as favorites to acquire the 14-time NBA All-Star. Sam Amick of USA Today believes James will strongly consider moving to Houston this summer because of Paul.
Amick said in The HoopsHype Podcast With Alex Kennedy that James and Paul “ would play wonderfully together ” in Houston. Signing with the Rockets will also help James add another accolade to his long list of accomplishment because it could give him the chance of winning a title in all teams he played for in his career.
David Aldridge of TNT also had the same take on James’ next destination. Aldridge said on The Tony Kornheiser Show that Paul might convince James to sign with Houston. He also pointed out that the Rockets are closing in on the Warriors in the race for Western Conference supremacy.
