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LeBron James Lands In L.A., Signs Four-Year Deal With Lakers

James will be tasked with getting the Lakers back to the playoffs and championship contentionNBAE/GETTY IMAGES

LeBron James has agreed to a four-year, $153.3M contract with the Lakers, and while James "cannot officially sign his new contract until Friday" and the Lakers cannot comment on the deal yet, current and former players and others "welcomed James on social media" last night, according to Elliott Teaford of the L.A. DAILY NEWS. James’ agreement "comes nearly three months after the Lakers finished the regular season with a 35-47 record and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive time." He is "viewed as the only man capable of lifting the storied franchise on his massive shoulders and returning it to greatness." Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson reportedly met with James in L.A. for "several hours on Saturday night." Johnson and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka had "targeted James for more than a year before an agreement was struck." The "buzz around Southern California reached a fever pitch in the days leading up to the agreement, especially after" James opted out of his '18-19 contract with the Cavaliers and "became a free agent" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/2). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Ben Cohen writes James' decision is the "latest move that shifts the balance of power in the NBA and is likely to reshape the future of the entire league" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/2). In L.A., Vincent Bonsignore writes James signing with the Lakers is the "unification of two of the most influential brands in the world," and the announcement "shook the entire sports universe to its core" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/2).

KEEPING IT LOW KEY: In Akron, Marla Ridenour in a front-page piece reports James' agency, Klutch Sports, "made the announcement on Twitter" last night with a brief press release. It was "much less splashy" than when he left the Cavaliers to join the Heat in '10 with "The Decision," which was nationally televised on ESPN. When James returned to the Cavaliers in '14, he "revealed the stunning news in a Sports Illustrated essay written with Lee Jenkins" that was posted online. This time, James "left a message on his Instagram story for Cavs fans." James' first public appearance "will be at the opening of his I Promise School in Akron on July 30" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 7/2). In Boston, Steve Bulpett writes there was "no hideously awkward television special to trumpet his departure" and "no well-planned and let’s-get-every-word-just-right as-told-to release" on SI.com. There was "only a press release" by his agency (BOSTON HERALD, 7/2). In Cleveland, Joe Vardon in a front-page piece cites a source as saying that that there will be "no press conference" in L.A., "no on-stage celebrating." James "has grown" since "The Decision" in '10 (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/2). Lenfest Institute's Joseph Lichterman wrote, "The way LeBron has announced his free agency destinations is an interesting look at the evolution of media over the past decade: 2010: The Decision TV special. 2014: Essay on Sports Illustrated’s Website. 2018: Instagram Story" (RELIABLE SOURCES, 7/1). 

NO TIME WASTED: The AP's Tim Reynolds notes James moved "super swiftly" in announcing his plans "compared to his past free-agent decisions." It took him "eight days to reveal in 2010 that he was going to Miami" and 11 days in '14 "to say he was going back to Cleveland." This time, it "took about 20 hours" (AP, 7/2). SI.com's Lee Jenkins noted in the two weeks following the NBA Finals, James "held three meetings at home with his closest advisors, in which they attempted to peg free-agent destinations." Their talks "focused on the Rockets, 76ers, Lakers and Cavaliers." James "instructed his agent, Rich Paul, to research those organizations and present him with feedback when he returned from a vacation in Anguilla." From the "moment his private plane landed" in L.A. on Saturday, he was "proceeding with unusual urgency" (SI.com, 7/1).

IN LA LA LAND: THE RINGER's Kevin O'Connor writes James' plans are "now bigger than ever" in L.A. James owns "two mansions in Brentwood and has invested in numerous businesses across the city." L.A. also is where Klutch Sports "conducts some its business" and where James' Uninterrupted online video platform is primarily based. O'Connor: "James can begin his transition to his postcareer life. Movie star. Businessman. Team owner." In L.A., LeBron "will continue building his empire in his spare time" (THERINGER.com, 7/2). DEADLINE.com's Bruce Haring wrote while there has been "no shortage of business opportunities for James while he was based in Cleveland and Miami, coming to Los Angeles promises to take things to the next level for his various enterprises" (DEADLINE.com, 7/1). L.A. is where LeBron can "gain a firmer foothold in the entertainment business, which by all accounts is where he wants to make his next fortune" (NBA.com, 7/2). It has "been clear for quite some time" that James was "drawn in by the allure of the entertainment capital" (USA TODAY, 7/2).

MAGIC TOUCH: ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said of Johnson's influence on James signing with the Lakers, "It's not just what Magic represents ... but what he has done as an entrepreneur. He is the gold standard for the great athlete becoming a mogul, and those are the aspirations LeBron James has" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/1). ESPN's Dave McMenamin: "You think about LeBron James, and not only his approach to playing the game of basketball but also his business interests off the court and then his philanthropic efforts, perhaps the only guy on the planet who can truly relate to LeBron is Magic Johnson" ("Get Up!" ESPN2, 7/2).

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