Despite having an amazing pitch for LeBron James, it's starting to feel unlikely that James will sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Granted, one could argue this has always been the case, but between the opportunity to win a championship, Rich Paul's whiteboard, and Jon Krawczynski reporting that the Wolves are ramping up their pursuit of James, there seemed to be legitimate smoke.
However, after this promising buzz, the Wolves have been hit with a bit of a reality check. Most recently, Shams Charania of ESPN noted that there's a hierarchy with three teams at the top: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. Previously, The Stein Line reported that a homecoming with Cleveland is starting to look like the scenario to beat.
The Timberwolves aren't completely out of the sweepstakes based on Shams' comments. Nevertheless, it's starting to feel increasingly unlikely that LeBron will take his talents to the Twin Cities.
Despite their ideal pitch, it seems unlikely that LeBron will sign with the Timberwolves
From a pure basketball standpoint, I firmly believe that the Wolves have the best pitch for James. The dynamic backcourt duo of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball can alleviate pressure from LeBron on offense while allowing him to thrive as a connector and secondary creator. Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels can insulate him on defense as well.
The Wolves sorely need a forward, and there's no higher-end player available than James. Considering this, LeBron and the Wolves are a match made in heaven.
Shams did mention, “From a basketball perspective, I know that Minnesota has definitely been high on LeBron James' list.” Still, the Wolves' absence from Shams' top three landing spots is notable.
But alas, other factors are at play. James has a history with Cleveland and Miami, which would make both landing spots seem more natural for the final year(s) of his career. All the same, Cleveland and Miami are both competitive teams, which LeBron could talk himself into as true title contenders, particularly in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia seems like somewhat of a curveball, but after trading for Jaylen Brown, they have a much-improved roster. As such, LeBron could talk himself into competing for a title with the Sixers. It's also worth noting that new 76ers lead executive Mike Gansey has a connection to LeBron -- he finished second behind James for Ohio's Mr. Basketball in high school and worked in the Cavs front office during James' second stint with the team.
To me, it's not a coincidence that all three teams that Shams listed are in the East, particularly since the Golden State Warriors were long considered a frontrunner to land James.
He likely views playing in a conference without the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs as a competitive advantage -- this could further doom Minnesota. LeBron's experience with Miami and Cleveland certainly doesn't hurt in this equation.
Regardless, for now, it sure sounds like the Timberwolves are on the outside looking in on the LeBron sweepstakes. If LeBron officially signs elsewhere, the Timberwolves will need to find another way to address their glaring need for a forward.
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