LeBron James joining the Los Angeles Lakers is still the biggest free agency move of the offseason, but on Monday it might have been knocked off for the most interesting choice by a player on the market when DeMarcus Cousins took the $5.3 mid-level exception from the Warriors to join the two-time defending champs for a season.
Cousins would’ve been headed towards a max deal had it not been for an Achilles injury in January that ended his season and crushed his market value due to the history of players struggling to return from that injury. So, with no longterm deals on the table for him and apparently little in the way of big, one-year offers, Cousins took the route of signing with the champs, which will keep him from having to rush back and offer him a chance to pick up a ring for his troubles.
The league as a whole was stunned by Cousins decision, while the Warriors’ stars rejoiced. Among those that couldn’t believe Boogie was going to be a Warrior was Joel Embiid, who could only laugh at first about the rich getting richer.
Well well the NBA is NUTS and also the best league lmao pic.twitter.com/zwtcgq9oZP
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 3, 2018
However, he quickly turned his attention to LeBron James’ decision to spurn the Sixers and sign with the Lakers out West, and decided to remind James that he isn’t signed until at least July 6 and there’s still time to “DeAndre Jordan” this thing and back out to play in the East again with the Sixers.
There’s still time to change your mind lol
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 3, 2018
Let’s pull a DeAndre Jordan and just Trust it
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 3, 2018
Embiid is, of course, referencing Doc Rivers and company going to Dallas to prevent the now-Mav from joining the Mavs in 2015. Embiid would have to go to Europe and find LeBron on his couples vacation to pull that off this time, and that would be a fruitless and expensive venture given that LeBron’s choice is clearly not motivated by winning a title this year, given their signings since bringing him on, and family was a major factor. That’s not even mentioning that LeBron is at the point where it’s “win a Finals or bust” in a season, not “make a Finals,” or else he probably would’ve stayed East anyways.
Still, it’s a funny message and a reminder that NBA stars are like us and follow free agency and think about ridiculous scenarios too. The main difference is they’re really good at basketball, make way more money, and these decisions actually effect their lives in much more meaningful ways.
