Cleveland
(Updated at 21:30)
The Los Angeles Lakers have a new superstar: LeBron James.
The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player announced on Sunday that he accepted a $154 million contract for four years with the Los Angeles team, switching conferences in order to dethrone the Golden State Warriors.
For the second time in his career, James says goodbye to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who recruited him as a teenage sensation in Akron in 2003 and had to settle for just one title in the 11 years he played with them.
Unlike the previous two occasions when he was a free agent, James did not delay his decision and made the announcement less than 24 hours after the NBA opened free agency.
The NBA star will lead a young team in Los Angeles - led by the legendary Magic Johnson - that has been surpassed in recent years during a rebuilding process. But the Lakers will immediately feel the effect of James, who has been a champion three times.
The Lakers legacy is something that attracted James, and it didn't take long after the announcement for him to receive a message from Kobe Bryant, who won five titles during his 20 seasons with the Los Angeles team.
"Welcome to the family @KingJames," Bryant tweeted. (D)