LeBron James, as one of the biggest athletes in the world, will always be in headlines, whether he does anything substantial to earn them or not. (He’s spent the majority of the past few days getting his social media accounts stalked by greedy writers, this one included, looking to see if he’s subliminally shading the Cavs by unfollowing them.) However, when he hints at wanting to set the basketball world on its ear–again–like he did during a set of conversations with Bleacher Report‘s Howard Beck as part of a story called Brotherhood, which examines the inextricable links between the careers of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
Towards the end of the story, which you can read in full here–which we advise, it’s quite the page-scroller–LeBron reveals that he would take a pay cut to play on the same team as his close friends Chris Paul (currently with the Clippers), Melo (currently with the Knicks) and James’ former teammate Dwyane Wade, who is still with the Heat. From B/R:
Decisions have been made, trades forced, contracts signed, fates chosen, taking the teen stars down starkly different paths. The bond endures. The vision of a James-Anthony partnership does, too.
“I really hope that, before our career is over, we can all play together,” James said. “At least one, maybe one or two seasons—me, Melo, D-Wade, CP—we can get a year in. I would actually take a pay cut to do that.”
Maybe at the end of their careers, James said. Maybe sooner. One more ring chase, this time with everyone on board.
“It would be pretty cool,” James said. “I’ve definitely had thoughts about it.”
Before bounding away, he smiles and closes with a coy chirp: “We’ll see.”
Of course, the timing of this story’s release is awkward where James is concerned. His unfollowing of the Cavs on social media (and his subsequent handling of a press conference question about it) have lots of folks stopping short of using the world “turmoil” to describe the Cavs right now, who are desperately trying to hold off the strengthening Raptors for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Coupled with Carmelo Anthony’s recent comments about reconsidering his future as a Knick, the next couple of off-seasons will be as theatrical as ever.
