The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to find moves to improve the roster after missing out on signing free agent LeBron James. Many considered Cleveland to be the strong favorites to sign LeBron due to the fairy tale ending of closing his career with the hometown franchise that originally drafted him. Unfortunately, James didn’t believe in the Cavaliers’ chances of title contention.
NBA media personality and former player Kendrick Perkins claimed that Cleveland should be getting more criticism for dropping the ball, via the Road Trippin podcast:
“The Cavs, how do you f*** that up? How do you f*** that up? It was almost as worse as Brad Stevens messing up this Giannis Antetokounmpo thing and losing to Pat Riley. It’s no way in hell that you get a face-to-face meeting with Bron. He was in Akron for almost three weeks. He met with y’all. How do you mess this up? Like seriously.”
Perkins cited that James spent time in Akron and unofficially gave the Cavaliers a better opportunity to recruit him. LeBron ended up picking the Philadelphia 76ers due to believing their deeper roster could potentially win an NBA Championship to end his career on the highest note. Perkins believes that James wanted to retire in Cleveland but that the team ruined it themselves.
Kendrick Perkins Says Jaylen Brown Impacted Decision
The former Boston Celtics NBA Champion starting center claimed that Jaylen Brown played a huge role in LeBron’s decision. Philadelphia trading for Brown to add a third All-Star to the roster tempted James to contend there. Cleveland couldn’t make any moves to sway LeBron to retire there.
Perkins revealed the following about why he feels James snubbed the Cavaliers:
“And the real thing about it, y’all said it, is that Jaylen Brown was the piece. Jaylen Brown been available. If Cleveland would have made a move and traded for Jaylen Brown, nine times out of 10, LeBron James would have been in Cleveland. But y’all didn’t want to part ways with one of your guys, whether that was Evan Mobley or Donovan Mitchell.“
The belief of Perkins is that Cleveland should have traded Mobley or Mitchell to land Brown. Mobley would have likely been the piece that Boston wanted, but the Cavaliers stood pat. Jarrett Allen is another name that could have been moved for another talent.
Rich Paul Revealed James Harden Was An Issue
Despite Perkins’ claims, it was another move that likely blocked Cleveland from bringing back James. Rich Paul revealed that the Darius Garland for James Harden was the one big flaw when breaking down LeBron’s choices with Max Kellerman a few months ago.
James loves Garland and mentors the young guard since they are both clients of Klutch Sports with Paul as their agent. Philadelphia ultimately used a similar relationship with Tyrese Maxey recruiting LeBron as another one of his proteges.
Losing Garland for Harden clearly made the Cavaliers a less viable option for James. The all-time great would have more easily selected Cleveland if Garland was still the point guard. Next season will see the Cavaliers now forced to slow down LeBron’s 76ers in the competitive East.
NBA Pundit Reveals Why LeBron James Turned Down Cavaliers