LeBron reveals he 'thought long and hard' about joining 76ers, Rockets

LeBron James is officially a Los Angeles Laker, a decision that will likely send ripples through the league for years to come. Each of the 29 other teams can only ask themselves what might've happened if they'd been able to bring the generational superstar into the fold.

Now, perhaps cruelly, at least two of the 29 teams that missed out on James know just how close they came to landing the catch of a lifetime.

"I definitely thought long and hard about lining up alongside Ben (Simmons) and (Joel) Embiid (of the Philadelphia 76ers), or lining up beside (James) Harden or Chris (Paul) (of the Houston Rockets)," James told ESPN's Rachel Nichols when asked why he chose the Lakers over a team that's likely closer to winning a championship right now.

The Lakers haven't made the postseason since 2013, a span of five seasons. Prior to the unprecedented run of futility for the franchise, its longest playoff drought was merely two years - 1975 and 1976 - dating all the way back to its days as the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1940s and 50s.

"The Lakers organization and the historical franchise matches up there with all the greats," James added. "You can look at the (Dallas) Cowboys. You can look at the (New England) Patriots. You can look at Manchester United, Boston Celtics. These are historical franchises, and for me to be a part of it, it's a great moment for not only me, but for my family, and the history of basketball in general."