'Timberwolves Are Busy!' LeBron James Hype Continues to Rumble

While Johnson confirmed other national reports that there are six teams in the realistic conversation for LeBron — Cleveland, Denver, Golden State, Miami, and Philadelphia being the others — he suggested that LeBron's camp, including his agency, Klutch Sports Group, may be using the Warriors for leverage.

"They are more of a team that LeBron and Klutch are using for leverage, and they are not a serious contender," Johnson claimed, later adding that if he had his "druthers," LeBron would be deciding between the Wolves, Cavs, and Warriors.

"If I had my druthers, I would say it's three, and those three would include, in no particular order, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Minnesota Timberwolves," Johnson said.

He then compared LeBron playing with Anthony Edwards to his years with Dwyane Wade in Miami.

"Any time you're pairing someone of LeBron's caliber alongside an Anthony Edwards, to me, and the way that it's been intimated to me, is that this is like Dwyane Wade and LeBron in reverse, when LeBron came to the Miami Heat back in 2010," Johnson said. "Any time you look at LeBron, he's always going to pair himself alongside some players that are young with some potential because you have some years there. Minnesota not only has LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, but you also have a center in Rudy Gobert [who can be] a defensive juggernaut."

Wolves insider Jon Krawczynski kept the LeBron hype rolling when he said Minnesota signing Rui Hachimura, who struck a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, was "an even longer shot than LeBron." Sure, it suggests that LeBron is a long shot for Minnesota, but it keeps the hope alive.

Hachimura reportedly signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers. Minnesota can't offer anything more right now than the $6.1 million taxpayer midlevel exception. LeBron, whose future isn't about money, apparently, could hypothetically be had for $6.1 million, or perhaps the NBA's veteran minimum of roughly $3.87 million.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Brian Windhorst went on Pardon My Take on Monday and suggested that there's not a lot of optimism coming from teams that have been reported as legitimate LeBron suitors outside of Cleveland, although he admitted that LeBron with Anthony Edwards would be incredible.

"I mean, I think LeBron with Ant Edwards would be amazing," Windhorst said. "I don't know how LeBron would do with LaMelo. I think LaMelo hoisting up 35-footers in transition with 18 on the clock, he might look side-eye at that."

LeBron is supposedly going to take his time before he makes a decision, but the last three times he's changed teams, he's made his announcement by July 11. When he left the Cavaliers for Miami in 2010, he held "The Decision" on July 8. When he returned to Cleveland in 2014, he revealed his plans on July 11. He then agreed to a contract with the Lakers on July 1, 2018.