Chapter 230: Starting a Nomadic Journey?
(TL/n: Finally done with finals..)
Not yet—there's still one more option.
Wade and Paul might not want to team up with LeBron, but the Banana Boat crew isn't just three people—it's four!
Soon enough, Brian Windhorst wrote an article speculating about LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony teaming up.
In theory, LeBron as a playmaker and Melo as a scoring machine are the most compatible pairing among the Banana Boat brothers.
Of course, this doesn't mean LeBron is angling to go to the Knicks. His carefully constructed 'loyalty' persona would never allow him to request a trade. If he were to leave Oklahoma, it would have to appear as though he had no choice.
The real motive behind this story? It's another power play, pressuring the Thunder's front office to trade Russell Westbrook for Carmelo Anthony.
This wasn't the first time such rumors surfaced. Ever since OKC's first-round sweep last season, reports like these have been relentless.
LeBron's influence in the media is a perfect 100, while Westbrook's barely hits a 10. But a wave of Thunder fans took to social media to back Russ, declaring they could accept Durant's departure, but not Westbrook's.
The fan outcry added pressure on OKC's front office. After all, you can't entirely ignore the fans—not when you're trying to sell tickets.
Reports soon emerged that OKC management had approached LeBron's team, asking him to commit to exercising his player option for the next two years.