LeBron James is yet to make a decision on which team he will join in free agency, and one thing people seem to be wondering is what his biggest priorities will be when it comes to choosing a new team.
According to his agent Rich Paul, James wants “complete happiness.” Does that mean having a good shot at winning his fifth NBA championship? Does it mean playing with his friends, such as perhaps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors? Does it mean feeling fully appreciated by an organization and its fans? Or does it mean something else?
Off the court, James is the devoted father of Bronny, who is still with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryce, who is at the University of Arizona and daughter Zhuri, who is a standout volleyball player. According to Melissa Rohlin of the California Post, LeBron James’ daughter Zhuri will play a big role in which team he signs with.
“One person has more influence over him than anyone else,” Rohlin wrote.
“It’s not his close friend Draymond Green, who had his ear during recent travels. Nor Steph Curry, who made a pitch for him to join the Warriors on ‘Good Morning America.’
“It’s not Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 31-year-old superstar who was traded to Miami last month. Nor Heat president Pat Riley, who after acquiring Antetokounmpo said, “There’s another [plane] we have to land.”
“It’s not Brandon Weems, James’ childhood friend who’s now an assistant general manager for the Cavaliers. Or Tyrese Maxey, who’s leading the 76ers’ pursuit of the megastar.
“So, who is it?
“‘It’s my almost 12-year-old daughter who is pulling the weight a lot,’ James said during a conversation with Rich Kleiman at Fanatics Fest on Thursday.
“Yes, the fate of arguably the greatest NBA player of all time lies in the hands of a middle schooler.”
Because of this, Rohlin asserts, the Warriors may be the team likeliest to land the 41-year-old.
“Zhuri is his main concern.
“His wife, Savannah, signed up for this life. As for his sons? Bronny is almost 22 and plays for the Lakers. Bryce is 19 and plays for Arizona.
“Zhuri has lived in Los Angeles since she was a preschooler. It’s where her friends are. It’s where she’s becoming a volleyball star. Uprooting her would be extremely difficult.
“That’s why it’s hard to imagine James choosing anywhere besides Golden State to finish his career.
“He’d be a 45-minute flight from Los Angeles, which is less time than it took him to commute from his Brentwood home to the downtown arena when he played for the Lakers.
“You think he’d want to go to the East Coast and be a five-hour flight from his family?”
Golden State, in the minds of some, could become a championship contender if James joins Curry and Green. The team went 37-45 and missed the playoffs this past season, but it lost six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL at midseason. If Butler returns soon enough and is still the same player he was prior to that injury, the Warriors would have an excellent starting lineup.
But their depth is a bit suspect. Center Kristaps Porzingis has always been very gifted, but he cannot be counted on to stay healthy consistently. Other than Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski, much of their bench has plenty of mileage.
But perhaps some things are more important than winning the NBA championship, especially when one already has four of them and could be going into the final season of his career.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Reporter: LeBron James’ daughter is big factor in free agency
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
