LeBron James is one of the most premier athletes in the world and is about to play in his 8th consecutive NBA Finals. Over his 15 year career, he has averaged 27.2 points per game and has won three NBA Championships. His numerous accolades do not stop there, as he won 2004 Rookie of the Year, four MVPs, three Finals MVPs, has 14 all-star appearances, and by the end of his career, he will be both in the top five for all time points and assists ("LeBron James."). Despite being 33, LeBron has looked as good as ever this season, averaging 27.3 points per game and leading his team through three tough rounds of the playoffs. Through this 18 game playoff run, LeBron James has put his titan like dominance on display, as he consistently proves himself to be the most influential player on the court. Whether it is hitting two buzzer-beaters to obliterate the Raptors or dropping 45 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in a crucial game 7 against the Pacers, LeBron’s skills and inept ability to come up clutch are truly unmatched (Hotchkiss). Even though the Cavaliers have reached their fourth straight finals, it is pivotal for LeBron James to leave Cleveland in order for his career and legacy to grow. While this does directly contradict what was previously said, given the prosperity of his season, LeBron will never win another championship if he stays with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite this being the zenith of his personal play, it is also the nadir of his career. Taking LeBron James out of the pot, the 2017-2018 Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the most lackluster teams in the NBA. Because of his lack of help, the Cavs will lose to the Golden State Warriors in the finals this year and every year after if he stays, and LeBron has realized this. While he will be upset to leave his hometown team again, it is almost a guarantee, LeBron will be wearing another city’s jersey next season. While there are many possible contenders for the landing spot of LeBron, such as the Lakers, Spurs, Knicks, and Clippers, it seems the two main possibilities are the Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers.

As previously covered, LeBron will never be able to beat the Warriors in Cleveland, so why not go to the team that almost beat them this season. Finishing with the best record in the NBA (65-17), the Houston Rockets gave the Warriors a run for their money this year in the Western Conference Finals. Led by all-star guards, James Harden and Chris Paul, as well as 6’10 center, Clint Capela, the Rockets out hustled the Warriors and took a 3-2 lead before Chris Paul got hurt. Unfortunately, losing one of their players and the heart of the team was too much to overcome and they ended up losing to the Warriors in a crushing game 7. After the series ended, Sportsnation blogger Charlie Stanton wrote, “Given how [Chris Paul] was playing, I think the Rockets probably win in 7” (Stanton). This is the safest landing spot for LeBron as they already have an established team and a great coaching, lead by Mike D’Antoni. Furthermore, the Rockets play a unique style of basketball that would most likely benefit LeBron and bolster his stats. Moreover, the Rockets are in need of a forward, but this is not really a valid point as any team, regardless of the current lineup situation, would take LeBron James. This gives LeBron the best shot of taking down the Warriors, but the only drawback is they are in the Western Conference, meaning if they lose to the Warriors in the playoffs, they would not even make it to the finals.

The other possible landing spot for the LeBron James is in Philadelphia with the 76ers. The 76ers are the one of the most exciting team in basketball. Some even considered them the favorites to win the Eastern Conference this year before they suffered a tough loss against the red-hot Celtics in the second round. The 76ers are led by the youngest notable duo in the NBA consisting of the 24-year-old center, Joel Embiid, and the 21-year-old point guard, Ben Simmons, who is also a contender for the 2018 Rookie of the Year. One key factor of this option is that Ben Simmons and Lebron James share the same agent, Rich Paul. Given this connection, LeBron has already formed a strong relationship with Simmons, which could end up being the most influential detail of LeBron’s decision. Furthermore, ESPN writer Adam Reisinger notes, “Three of the Sixers' four highest-paid players this season come off the books in July, so Philadelphia will enter the summer with close to a max cap slot” (Reisinger). Not only will LeBron’s connection with Simmons play a part, but the 76ers will be able to open up the cap space needed to make this transition almost seamlessly. Of course, there is also a risk with this option, as LeBron is ready to win now, and does not have the time to wait for the 76ers to develop. If the 76ers are not ready to take their play to the next level, it is likely he will lose to the Warriors again or even a healthy and determined Celtics team in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Clearly, LeBron is the player of this generation and his decision will be the hottest sports topic of the summer. Assuming the Cavs get swept in the finals this year, he will be left with one of the biggest questions of his career: Should the aging LeBron James run the risk of starting over with the young 76ers or face the possibility of missing the finals with the established Rockets?