Getty Lakers star LeBron James.
There is no LeBron James whisperer around the NBA who has a better sense of the way the Lakers star ticks than Brian Windhorst, now of ESPN, who began his career as a Cavs beat writer with James’ hometown paper, the Akron Beacon-Journal. And according to Windhorst, the fact that James showed up for the Cavaliers-Celtics Game 4 matchup on Monday night was not a mere case of a former player taking in a ballgame.
No, no—as with most actions James takes in the offseason, there was a message here. And the message was meant for the Lakers. That message: Do something.
“I do think that LeBron definitely wants to send a message to the Lakers about improving the roster,” Windhorst said on First Take on Tuesday. “Because at the trade deadline, he really wanted to improve, they didn’t improve. And now we’re coming to the draft in a month, they have three tradeable first-round picks and I think LeBron would like them to be aggressive at the deadline.
“I think part of his commentary at the end of that game in Denver and his comments on social media and in podcasts since, I think that’s a strategy play.”
LeBron James Pressuring for Roster Changes?
The Lakers, notably, did nothing of significance at the NBA’s February trade deadline, despite a lackluster first half of the season and plenty of conversations about potential moves. After the Lakers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Nuggets in five games, James was noncommittal about his future with the team, which was taken as a way of applying pressure on the front office to shake up the roster.
James can be a free agent. He is said to be angling for a max three-year, $164 million deal from the Lakers.
That, according to Windhorst, is one of four things that are defining this offseason for James. Another is the Lakers coaching search, though Windhorst said he does not expect James to get involved on that.
The other offseason topics worth monitoring are, first, whether the Lakers make roster changes, a topic that James has a lot more interest in. And second, whether his son, Bronny James, gets drafted. Bronny James has said that he will stay in the draft, and LeBron James has, in the past, said that he hopes to play with his son one day.
The Lakers are likely to have the No. 17 pick, and the No. 56 pick, in next month’s draft. Could they draft Bronny to appease LeBron? Well, maybe.
“(The James’s agent) Rich Paul has made it known that you shouldn’t connect those two things, that Bronny is on his own journey. Having said that, the Lakers have two picks and LeBron came to a Cavs game—that’s all I’m gonna say,” Windhorst said.
Lakers Made Aware of Cavs Appearance
As for how James wound up at the Cavs game to begin with, apparently he was back home for Mother’s Day on Sunday and decided to stick around for the game. He was a guest of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, and Windhorst said the Lakers were told he was going to be at the game.
Also, James was sure to arrive after the game had started. That probably was no accident.
“Rich Paul called the Lakers and said, ‘Just so you know, LeBron’s going to be at the game tonight. Not trying to surprise you.’ So I’m being told, no big deal, nothing,” Windhorst said.
“But there’s something. He doesn’t do anything for nothing, he is always strategic. One thing about LeBron, LeBron is always on time. The fastest way to upset LeBron is to be late. LeBron was fashionably late so that he could walk in, so that he could get a big, giant ovation.”
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