LeBron James' first game against the Los Angeles Lakers is going to be must-see television next season, and it could come early in a preseason game if the superstar forward chooses the Golden State Warriors in free agency.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein on Thursday night, the Warriors and Lakers are set to face off in a preseason outing in Las Vegas which could double as James' first game against his now former team.
Warriors and Lakers set for preseason showdown in Las Vegas
The NBA world is still awaiting James' free agency decision after confirmation of his departure from the Lakers over two weeks ago, but that hasn't stopped Stein from mentioning this preseason game as a potential first matchup against the Purple and Gold.
"The Warriors and Lakers, I'm told, are likely to meet in Las Vegas in October in a preseason game … which would result in an early reunion for LeBron with the purple and gold IFFFF he decides to sign with Golden State," Stein wrote.
Stein emphasized 'if' because while the Warriors are a suitor for James, they still remain in a crowded chasing pack with the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. We grew realistically no closer to any indication of James' final decision on Thursday despite the 41-year-old speaking publicly about his free agency for the first time at Fanatics Fest in New York.
Not only would James have to pick Golden State in free agency, but he'd also have to suit up for that preseason game which is no guarantee. You could easily understand if the four-time MVP wanted his first game against the Lakers to be a proper one within a regular season environment, rather than an otherwise meaningless preseason game.
The NBA desperately wants to hear LeBron James' decision
Speaking of the regular season, the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver desperately wants James to announce his decision sooner rather than later, allowing them to make their own decisions around scheduling ahead of a release next month.
Should James head to the Warriors, it would make sense for his potential debut to come against the Lakers on opening night, and/or for there to be a blockbuster Christmas Day game between the two teams.
The Warriors and Lakers have another Vegas matchup before the likely preseason game, with the two pacific rivals set to go head-to-head in the semi-finals of Summer League on Saturday.
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