Report: LeBron James Wanted The Pistons And Cavs To Swap Owners
By: Evan Jankens
@kingofthekc
It's no secret that when LeBron James decided to take his talents to South Beach he rubbed Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert the wrong way.
In 2014, Gilbert explained to USA Today how he and James "mended fences."
"First thing I said to him was, 'LeBron, you know this is true. We had five good years and one bad night. Like a marriage that's good and then one bad thing happens and you never talk to each other again."
'I'm just glad we're here, whether you come or not, LeBron. This has been hanging over my head.' "
Dan Patrick shared a story on his radio show Thursday afternoon about how he wanted the Cavs' ownership to buy the Pistons and the Pistons' owners to buy the Cavs.
Slam Magazine transcribed the conversation.
"I heard a story last night, and it's been published before, but I got to hear it from somebody who knows firsthand about this.
"LeBron did not want to play for Dan Gilbert the second time around. He wanted to go back to Cleveland. He didn't want to play for Dan Gilbert.
"So what I was told to me last night is: LeBron was willing to go back to Cleveland, but he wanted the Cavaliers' ownership to buy the Pistons, and the Pistons' ownership would take over the Cavaliers.
"You were going to have Tom Izzo coaching. Izzo, friends with the guys who own the Pistons. They were then going to take over the Cavaliers. Dan Gilbert, who's a Michigan guy, would get to then own the Pistons.
"And LeBron would then be able to play in Cleveland for the ownership of the Pistons as opposed to Dan [Gilbert]."
I know LeBron James can do just about anything he wants in Cleveland but this is just unbelievable if indeed this story is actually true.
Could you imagine if two NBA teams swapped ownership so one player would be happy?
