LeBron Reportedly Weighed Clippers’ One-Year Offer Worth More Than $20 Million
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The Los Angeles Clippers explored giving LeBron James a one-year contract exceeding $20 million before the four-time MVP committed to the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Agent Rich Paul told ESPN that he had conversations with 27 NBA teams about James’ free agency. That group included unexpected bidders such as the Boston Celtics and the Clippers, even after James ruled out a return to the Los Angeles Lakers in June.
Staying with the Clippers would have allowed the 41-year-old to remain in Los Angeles, where he had lived for eight years. The proposed salary would have been one of the richest options on the table but would not have fit into the mid-level exception. With the Lakers renouncing James’ rights early in free agency and removing a sign-and-trade possibility, the Clippers would have needed to clear cap space to present such an offer.
It is unclear whether the club’s pursuit of James would have affected its subsequent trade for Kawhi Leonard, finalized with Toronto only hours after news broke that James would leave the Lakers and before free agency officially opened. Ultimately, sources told ESPN that James never gave the Clippers serious consideration.
Additional notes from James’ free agency
• Paul said on the Game Over podcast that James met in person with several top Cleveland Cavaliers executives in Akron in early July.
• Despite public statements by Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka about wanting to retain James, sources close to the forward believe the franchise was prepared to move on this offseason.
• A source familiar with James’ thinking said the allure of leading a storied franchise that has not won a championship since 1983 helped steer him to Philadelphia.
• James’ new agreement with the 76ers guarantees one season and includes a second-year player option. Paul told ESPN the move to Philadelphia could energize the veteran, adding, “Maybe we get two seasons. Maybe we get four.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
