On the surface, it's simple really why LeBron James will be a Los Angeles Laker.
A man so impatient to win a title has three and by being patient may have the chance to add more in Los Angeles.
It's more complicated than that, though. Yes, he appeared to have one foot out the door from the day after the Cavs were swept in the NBA Finals by a team — Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors — that will remain a very real rival in the Western Conference.
Still, there are a variety of factors that led to his four-year, $154 million deal. Here are just five:
1. He lands in a city he loves.
OK, the overheated social media response to a video of him arriving at a Southern California airport did time out perfectly with his announcement Sunday. But the video could've been shot last offseason or the offseason before that. Los Angeles is where LeBron likes to live; he has two homes there. It's also a perfect place to be when his career ends, as he likely will become even more involved with the movie production company he owns. Many suspect his next fortune will be made in the entertainment industry.
2. He's old school.
James is a Midwest guy, and though he's leaving those roots behind in Ohio, he's moving to a franchise where he'll play for a man he grew up respecting: Michigan-born Magic Johnson. Think about what Johnson's career arc looks like. He made his first fortune in basketball and then added another as a businessman before returning to the team he led to so many NBA Finals. LeBron, in a very real sense, is Magic for this millennium: A man who made his name in sports but whose creativity and curiosity, intellect and drive have reached far beyond lines on hardwood floors. A late Saturday meeting between the two merely formalized the relationship.
3. He's about family, too.
His family enjoys Southern California and, important, his teen son, LeBron Jr., can become involved in the very competitive AAU and high school basketball scene there. Sure, Bronny, 13, likely could reach his basketball potential really anywhere — disposable income has that effect. But place the two factors of SoCal and the competitive basketball landscape side by side and it's a winning combination.
4. There are basketball facets, too.
When Jeanie Buss took over control of the Lakers three years ago, she first sought Magic Johnson's advice on an ad hoc basis, but then eventually hired him. Johnson has positioned the team to be built into a monster. Don't focus on the guys who've said, "Thanks, but no thanks" thus far (Paul George, Chris Paul, et al.) Consider this: The Lakers have enough salary-cap flexibility and attractive assets that a ramp-up could happen relatively quickly. So when you see a headline that reads, "Kawhi Leonard still wants to be a Laker after LeBron James deal," you should pay attention. Oh, and the Lakers have been interested in signing free-agent center DeMarcus Cousins, too.
5. Finally, LeBron can afford to be patient.
By most accounts, Magic appears willing to keep his young team intact and wait until next summer to do some heavy lifting. Barring a change of heart on an extension with the Spurs (not likely), Leonard will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Kemba Walker and Jimmy Butler hit the free-agent market in 2019, too, as does Klay Thompson (his dad, Mychal, who played for the Lakers, is on the team's broadcast crew). That's where it gets interesting. Sign Klay Thompson and you not only improve your team, but also weaken your rival, the Warriors. That clearly was the thinking behind James reportedly texting Kevin Durant, trying to persuade him to join him in L.A. It might take a season or two, but this team will get built around James — with a plan, unlike the way his situation devolved in Cleveland, leaving James impatient for improvement and leaving the Cavaliers behind.
