Guessing game on LeBron James at its peak

LeBron James becomes a free agent soon. So where is he headed next?

Will he surprise everyone by staying on the range in Cleveland with the Cavaliers? Or will he leave home for the bright lights of Houston or Hollywood?

Your guess is as good as mine. So jump right in.

Speculating about the next move of the world’s best basketball player has become a cottage industry.

So why not join the traditional news media reporters, social media trolls and bloggers, and everybody in between with the purported last word about LeBron’s destination?

You have nothing to lose. As a kibitzer, you have no worry if you’re wrong.

Anyway, speculators about King James’ prospects include two of the biggest American daily newspapers—USA Today and the Los Angeles Times.

USA Today said chances are grim for LeBron to stay in his home state.

But with former NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard wanting out of San Antonio and wishing to play for his hometown team—the Los Angeles Lakers—conversations about LeBron coming to LA now have “an entirely different decibel level.”

If the Lakers trade for and land Leonard, who grew up in Moreno Valley outside LA and attended San Diego State, another superstar of his caliber would be reason enough for LeBron to relocate “to the place where his business empire is already headquartered and where he could be seen as the savior of a fallen franchise,” USA Today said.

LeBron’s many business interests include television production companies in Hollywood, not to mention two mansions in the $20 million plus range each in the fancy LA neighborhood of Brentwood.

Meantime, LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke has urged Lakers basketball operations chief Magic Johnson to drop everything and grab James now that Leonard wants to come home to Southern California to play for Jennie Buss’ team.

“If Leonard comes, potential free agent Paul George would come. And if George comes, you bet LeBron James would come,” Plaschke wrote.

“With those three players, they (Lakers) would end their five-year playoff drought, challenge Golden State and Houston in the West, potentially get back to the Finals for the first time in nine years,” according to Plaschke.”

“For the first time since the days of Kobe and Shaq, they would be a nationally hated Super Team, and, man, wouldn’t that be super?”