LeBron James' Move To Lakers Expected By Warriors Owner, Excited For NBA

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob did not have any negative feelings about LeBron James moving to the Los Angeles Lakers and is instead, excited about the future of the NBA.

The Warriors have been regularly criticized for destroying the competitiveness of the league, with their sweeping of James and the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this summer leading to their third championship in four years.

They remain favorites for the upcoming 2018/19 NBA season as well and could become the first team since the Lakers from 2000 to 2002 to achieve a historic threepeat.

However, things are certainly more interesting in the Western Conference with James now being a Laker. The Akron native joined the 16-time champions on a four-year deal and is tasked with bringing the glory years back to the Staples Center.

That means just one of James, the Warriors or the Houston Rockets could be making the NBA Finals next year.

While the Lakers just have a five percent chance of making the NBA Finals this year, anything is possible with James leading the team, and Lacob would like for the franchise to be a regular playoff contending team again.

"I expected it [LeBron to move to the Lakers], and I don't really care," Lacob told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami, as quoted on The Express. "If anything, I'm positive about it because I think it's good for the league to have the Lakers be great again — or at least good [laughs]."

"And I was a fan of the Lakers by the way. I lived down there my teenage years. I like the Lakers being good," he said.

With the amount of high-profile free agents that could be available next summer, it looks like a number of teams outside of playoff contention could be strengthened in 2019. Lacob hopes, in particular, that the likes of the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls are some of those teams.

"I hope the Knicks get good some day; Chicago gets better," he added. "I like some of the bigger market teams. What's amazing about the NBA is that it's been so successful in the last few years without the big-market teams being successful. Imagine how good it'll be if some of these teams really do perform. So it's a good thing."

As for the Warriors and the Lakers, the arrival of James will reignite the rivalry between the two California cities and Lacob expects it to be fun.

"LA-San Francisco is a great rivalry. LeBron against the Warriors is a great rivalry. It's exciting," he said. "You're asking about it because it's gonna be fun. And I'm looking forward to it."

Warriors star Stephen Curry is also excited by the renewed rivalry and even expects it to get heated.

"And a whole new-look Laker team with some of the young kids. It should be fun, the Bay Area and L.A. and the whole thing," Curry said last month. "When I first got into the league [the] Oracle [arena] would be buzzing any time the Lakers came in."

"There probably will be a revolution of Laker fans that are going to try to creep in but I hope Bay Area and Dub Nation we keep control of that competition because we're on top right now," he added.