詹姆斯加盟火箭?比杜蘭特加盟勇士更震撼整個聯盟

If LeBron James' goal this offseason is to join the team that gives him the best chance of knocking off Golden State after back-to-back losses to the Warriors in the NBA Finals, his best hope may be joining the Houston Rockets — who took the Warriors the distance in this year's conference finals.

總決賽連續兩年被勇士雙殺，休賽季老詹若想轉投他隊，以便來年復仇勇士，目前最佳選擇就是火箭了。火箭隊是最近幾個賽季裏與勇士鏖戰最久的。

Is such a scenario possible? Let's look at how it might happen.

這樣的願景可能實現嗎？我們來分析分析。

James opts in for 2018-19

詹姆斯19-19賽季選擇加盟火箭

LeBron James alongside James Harden and Chris Paul could wreak havoc on the West.

詹皇配燈泡在西區將摧枯拉朽。

If LeBron wants to play for the Rockets, it would probably be necessary for him to go the same route Paul did a year ago: passing on free agency to set up a trade to Houston.

如果要加入火箭，詹皇最有可能按去年保羅的方式：通過自由市場，交易至火箭。

Why? Because even if the Rockets were to pull off a sign-and-trade deal for James as a maximum-salary free agent, doing so would hard-cap them at the luxury-tax apron, estimated at $128 million for next season.

爲什麼？因爲即便火箭給詹姆斯頂薪合同，這樣火箭得交奢侈稅，預計下賽季1.28億。

unless James or Paul is willing to take a massive pay cut — unlikely given their leadership roles in the National Basketball Players Association (Paul is president, James is first vice president) — LeBron opting in is the way to go.

除非詹姆斯或保羅願意大幅降薪，考慮到他們在聯盟球員工會都是領導者（保羅是主席，而詹姆斯是副主席）不大可能發生，這樣就需要詹姆斯選擇加盟火箭。

A trade would allow the Rockets to re-sign any of their free agents, including Capela, Paul and also starting small forward Trevor Ariza, with new owner Tilman Fertitta's willingness to pay a giant luxury-tax bill the main issue from Houston's standpoint.

這樣的選擇，火箭就可以重新簽下所有自由球員卡佩拉，保羅和首發小前鋒鐵扎，同時還需要老闆願意負擔火箭方面的鉅額奢侈稅。

The trick here would be finding a workable trade between the Rockets and Cavaliers.

關鍵是騎士和火箭要達成可操作的交易。

Searching for an Anderson taker

尋找安德森的接盤俠

One key to a LeBron-to-Houston deal is finding a suitor for Ryan Anderson and his $20.4 million salary in 2018-19.

勒布朗前往休斯頓的一個關鍵就是找到一個替代者，能匹配安德森18-19賽季2040萬的薪酬。

Ideally, Houston would match James' salary in large part with the $20.4 million owed Ryan Anderson in 2018-19. However, with two years left on Anderson's contract (he'll make $21.3 million in 2019-20) and with him falling largely out of the Rockets' playoff rotation, that's a tough sell.

理想的話，安德森18-19賽季2040萬的薪資空間能最大程度匹配詹姆斯的薪酬。然而，安德森還有兩年合同（19-20賽季2130萬），火箭季後賽期間，他也大多數時間不在輪轉陣容中，這樣他很難出售。

Dealing James for a package centered on Anderson would likely push Cleveland deep into the luxury tax next season, so that idea is probably a nonstarter. Any trade involving Anderson would require a third team with cap space to take on his contract in exchange for future picks, allowing the Cavaliers to cut their payroll.

以安德森爲中心實現詹姆斯的打包交易，只會將下賽季的騎士進一步推向奢侈稅深淵，這個交易基本無從談起。任何涉及安德森的交易必須有第三支球隊參與，用工資帽空間接下安德森的合同來交換未來的選秀權，這樣才能使騎士降低工資開支。

Instead, the Rockets may have to live with Anderson on their books and find another trade package for James.

否則，火箭把安德森留在賬面上，謀求他法換取詹姆斯。

Building a LBJ trade without Anderson

尋找方案，在無法交易安德森的情況下追求詹姆斯

Matching James' salary without involving Anderson is possible but more painful for Houston, which would have to give up key parts in return.

不用安德森換取詹姆斯是有可能的，只是這令火箭更加痛苦，他們必須放棄一些關鍵球員。

Assuming the Rockets are limited to players currently under contract — sign-and-trade rules would also be challenging on the Cavs' end of the deal — Houston would have to trade basically everyone besides Harden and Anderson.

若火箭只能選現有合同球員匹配詹姆斯-按照先簽再換的規則，騎士也捉襟見肘-火箭基本除了哈登和安德森，其他人都得用以交換。

Of course, there are many important variables before the two teams could even begin talking trade. First and most critically, LeBron has to decide Houston is the next place he's taking his talents, and to do so before the June 29 deadline to pick up his player option.

當然，兩隊談判前有很多變數。首先也是最關鍵的，詹皇必須自己決定下賽季去火箭施展他的天賦，而且必須在7月29日前做出此決定，執行他的球員選項。

If that happens, however, there appears to be a path for James to join the Rockets.

如果那樣的話，不管怎樣，纔有可能找到一種方式能使詹皇加盟火箭。

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