The San Antonio Spurs will have enough cap room this summer to sign LeBron James, and he might actually be able to impact winning, even in his 24th NBA season.
Until LeBron James makes an explicit announcement detailing plans to retire, fans should expect him to be back for his 24th season in the fall. However, he will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. While the most likely outcome is his returning to the Los Angeles Lakers, his joining the San Antonio Spurs isn't totally far-fetched.
As James pursues his storybook ending, retiring with the Lakers or the Cleveland Cavaliers seems to make the most sense. However, as the Spurs rise and Victor Wembanyama takes over the NBA, James could chase one last ring and pass the torch to Wembanyama, all under the watchful eye of Gregg Popovich.
James has been linked to the Spurs before, although they were always considered a dark-horse candidate. However, with ample cap room this summer and a clear need for a power forward in the starting five, the Spurs might finally be willing to make an offer.
Spurs Listed as Possible LeBron Landing Spot
Next season, it's expected that the Spurs will trot out a starting five of Wembanyama, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and De'Aaron Fox, with Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, and Dylan Harper leading the bench unit.
There is a world where Champagnie comes off the bench, and James joins the Spurs as their power forward. Johnson and Champagnie could play heavy minutes off the bench, preserving James for the postseason.
"It’s click-baity, and it’s out of their organizational character to deal with the circus that comes with him," posted CBS Sports' Sam Quinn, "But they have the financial flexibility to seriously pursue LeBron if they want to, and he’d solve a lot of what has gone wrong in this series."
While the Spurs wouldn't be able to offer James a maximum contract, even for just a season, they do have more than enough money to make him a very real and reasonable offer.
Keep in mind, The King isn't a max player anymore, and the Spurs will have Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk coming off the books this summer, opening up $32.4 million in cap space.
"They have the full [mid-level exception] already, which gets them past all of the likely suitors but the Lakers, and if they're willing to dump Keldon Johnson or sign-and-trade, they can get to a bigger number," Quinn outlined.
James would add size, experience, ball-handling, shooting, and passing to the young Spurs. He is far past his prime, but is still a do-all player and would be the third or fourth option in the starting lineup.
While most fans likely would want to see the Spurs add youth, not the youngest player in the league, adding James (hypothetically, of course!) would briefly improve the roster and wouldn't hamper the Spurs' long-term building.
