Report: LeBron James would never join Clippers, per ESPN

Rumors are already swirling about LeBron James possibly leaving Cleveland for Los Angeles next summer, but apparently it won't be the Clippers.

Since the Cleveland Cavaliers fell short in the 2017 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors, there have been rumblings that LeBron James make his way to Los Angeles next offseason.

This has put both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers at the forefront of rumors as possible landing spots for James' services.

However, on a recent interview with the Freddie and Fitz Show, Mike Wise of The Undefeated completely crushed the chances that the four-time league MVP will ever play for the Clippers:

I’m going to give you something on this show, and this is breaking news. Nobody else is going to have it.

I got from a very good authority – a very good authority – that LeBron James will never be a Clipper. I can’t tell you who, but I’m going to tell you it’s somebody that knows, and LeBron James will never be a Clipper. I don’t know if that’s because he remembers what the Clippers used to be, or he just doesn’t want to put his lot in there, or he thinks Steve Ballmer is just too animated on the sideline.

He’s never going to be a Clipper. I’m just telling people right now, for your edification. I’m breaking this on the Freddie Coleman and Fitz show.

There may be much more to this than James simply not wanting to play for the Clippers, but that is something that will eventually receive more clarity as his free agency decision draws closer. That said, this at least crosses out one of the possibilities for James while boosting the Lakers up as a more likely landing spot.

Although it's hard to imagine him leaving a championship contender that he played a major hand in constructing with the Cavaliers, the Lakers have made it no secret that they are hoping to land him next summer. Keep in mind, they just completed a trade last week that will free up even more salary cap space to inch ever so much closer to being able to sign two max contract players in free agency.

On top of that, the Lakers will likely make more moves in order to make the team more appealing to James and other superstars who will consider signing with next summer. At least for the time being, the Clippers being out of the mix is a big plus for their chances.