The Minnesota Timberwolves have been one of the top teams reportedly interested in signing LeBron James this summer. They want to pair James alongside Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, whom they just traded for earlier this summer. However, the Wolves’ James chase was over before it even began. Because why would he stay in the West?
James has competed in the Western Conference for years, and right now, getting past the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs feels like a gargantuan task. So, why would James stay in the West when he could join an Eastern Conference contender with a – theoretically – easier pathway to the Finals.
Before Minnesota even tried getting in the mix for James, it was at a significant disadvantage compared to the East teams that are targeting James.
LeBron James should want to play in the East
The Wolves have been right there for a long, long time. They’ve made two Western Confernce finals appearances in the last three seasons, and they’ve battled with the Spurs and Thunder in the playoffs.
Edwards is one of the best players in the NBA, and adding Ball to the mix should definitely help the Wolves’ offense flourish. Plus, bringing James on board would obviously take them to another level, too.
But again, the Thunder and Spurs are just a cut above the rest of the teams in the West. They are 100% going to head into next season as the overwhelming favorites to come out of the conference.
Meanwhile, there is a huge group of teams in the East that would love to add James, and adding him to their lineups would put them right up there with the New York Knicks atop the East.
The Philadelphia 76ers are chief among them. A lineup of James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid would be one of the best in the East.
Then, there’s the Miami Heat. Giannis Antetokounmpo was just traded there, and he and Bam Adebayo would be able to cover up some of the defensive issues James deals with at this point in his career. And he’d be able to significantly help their offense.
Lastly, the Cleveland Cavaliers make a ton of sense, too. They were just in the Eastern Conference finals, and adding James would only strengthen their chances next season.
The point is, the top of the East is, in theory, easier to beat than the best of the West. If James wants to win it all, he should go East. And that puts the Wolves at an immediate disadvantage.
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