The LeBron James free agency news is coming hot and fast now. Some important things have already been settled: LeBron is definitely joining the Lakers; LeBron definitely wants the city of Houston to sink into the ocean forever; LeBron is definitely joining the Knicks. Also something about Scottie Pippen. It’s rare that we have these things settled so early in the NBA’s offseason, but LeBron is himself a rare specimen, and the advent of social media has improved the flow of information to breathtaking levels of efficiency and accuracy, so here we are. The LeBron James question: settled, several times over.
But Wednesday night brings this incredible scoop, from former tiny NBA point guard Earl Boykins, known the world over for filling roughly a sixth of that photo up there: LeBron James despises New York City and every single person who lives there; and he is almost certainly joining the Denver Nuggets this summer:
First, Boykins on LeBron stiff-arming the Knicks, for whom he will definitely play next season with his friend Paul George:
“Trust me, [LeBron] will never, ever play for the New York Knicks. I have insider information. He will never, ever play for the New York Knicks.”
But the real scoop offered by Boykins, who last played in the NBA in 2012, and famously scored one point in 14 minutes against LeBron’s Miami Heat that April, is LeBron’s powerful interest in joining the Nuggets:
“He’s gonna look at Denver. He’s gonna talk to [Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly], and he’s gonna say ‘if I sign here, what moves are you gonna make? What’s gonna be left if I decide to sign here?’ The Nuggets have the young pieces that LeBron wants around him. They do.”
Boykins goes on to say that LeBron values Nuggets center Nikola Jokic because “he’s a big that can shoot” and “can handle the basketball and pass.” Boykins says Jokic’s near-certain extension with Denver will only increase the likelihood of LeBron joining the Nuggets, up to as high as 40 percent. 40 percent! My friends, those are overwhelming odds. Justify odds.
It’s in the bag, folks. LeBron to Denver. Done.