A SILLY REPORT

Patrick Creighton: Lebron James to the Warriors? #FakeNews

Patrick Creighton: Lebron James to the Warriors? #FakeNews
Lebron and Steph Curry on the same team? Please. SBNation.com

Patrick Creighton hosts “Nate & Creight” M-F 1-3p on SportsMap 94.1FM.   Follow him on twitter at @pcreighton1

Thursday, ESPN published a report that “sources” told them that if the Golden State Warriors could create max cap space this offseason, he would take a meeting with them about signing there.

Also, if I wake up tomorrow at 6-4, totally ripped, with 9 figures in my bank account, I can take a meeting to date Scarlet Johansson.  They have about the same percentage chance.

For the 2018-19 season, the Warriors are already projected at more than $27M over the cap.  They have only 7 players under contract and Kevin Durant has a player option for $26.25M.

In order to sign LeBron to a max contract in the offseason, they would have to unload – are you ready - $62,611,051 from their payroll to accommodate a max $35.3M salary for James (who would be opting out of $35.6M in Cleveland to escape Dan Gilbert).  That means trading at least 2 of either Klay Thompson ($19M in 2018-19), Draymond Green ($17.5M) and Andre Iguodala ($16M).  Keep in mind that A) Thompson & Green are 27 and Iggy is 34 and B) they have to take nothing back.

How do you think Joe Lacob would feel about handing away Klay & Draymond for a pair of second round picks?  As great as LeBron is, he isn’t worth both of those guys for their combined salaries, especially when he is seven years older than both of them.

Also, the Warriors are one more opt-in from Kevin Durant to holding his full Bird rights, meaning if KD can swallow “only” making $26.25M next season, he can sign a full five-year $200M+ deal the following year.  Durant is also only 29.  By opting out, KD delays the process  to get a megadeal.

To make things more interesting, LeBron is on record saying he wants to “break the mold” when he becomes a free agent after this season.  Thanks to the work he and NBPA President Chris Paul put in this past year to change the “Over-36” rule to the “Over-38” rule, LeBron can sign one more 5 year megadeal, but it has to be this offseason.

Realistically, there’s no way the Warriors could make enough cap space to afford James, which makes the entire “report” a huge farce, and pure clickbait.   

While the headline may be sexy, don’t believe the hype.

(Salary information obtained from spotrac.com)

 

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The Cubs beat the Astros, 12-3. Composite Getty Image.

Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.

Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.

Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.

The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.

Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.

Key moment

Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.

Key stat

McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.

Up next

Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.

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