NBA Free Agency: 5 Biggest Losers from LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers

It has finally happened. The move that everyone in Los Angeles was waiting for. The move that Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka promised. LeBron James has joined the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $153.3 million contract.

This is a huge win for the Lakers as Johnson and his front office team had promised to land an elite player and frankly, nobody is more elite than the King himself. But not everybody comes out a winner in this.

Let us take a look at the 5 biggest losers from this mega deal:

#1 Loser - The Cleveland Cavaliers:

Cleveland Cavaliers won the title in dramatic fashion in 2016.

The biggest loser in this has got to be the Cleveland Cavaliers. They just lost the one player (Sorry Kevin Love) that was carrying them to the finals each year since he returned in 2015. LeBron was the one who got them the elusive championship, the first one after 52 long years.

But now that LeBron is gone, hope is gone from the city. They will either be dwelling at the bottom or just in playoff contention if Kevin Love plays like the superstar he is supposed to be. Either way, they can never reach the glory that they were supposed to.

#2 Loser - Dan Gilbert

Gilbert and James were never the best of friends.

Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers has always had a tumultuous relationship with LeBron while he was in Cleveland. Gilbert wanted things to be done one way and James had wanted it another.

There is a ton of speculation that they never saw eye to eye on most issues. Speculation aside, Gilbert has lost the best player in the NBA twice. They are about to drift into the lower-middle tier of the NBA and go from the national spotlight to a curiosity for Collin Sexton fans.

#3 Loser - Kevin Love:

Kevin Love is now the only star at Cleveland

Poor Kevin Love.

He was once touted to be a great player, a Hall of Famer. His move to Cleveland to join the duo of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving was supposed to his moment to shine, to win rings and become a legend. But instead, he became a much aligned 3rd star on a team, getting barely any touches on the ball, being played out of position and becoming a very injury prone player.

People can argue that LeBron leaving is a blessing in disguise. He can now run the team the way he wants, to play how he wants. Minnesota Kevin Love was a star, carrying the team single-handedly. But after these 3 years, one can't even be sure that Love will be fit for the game. At least he was getting to playoffs courtesy LeBron, but now he has to do it himself, with the same bunch he has now, the one that can't shoot, dribble or score to save themselves. There seems no end to his misery.

#4 Loser - The Rockets:

The Beard may have won the MVP this season, but what about the next?

The Western Conference was always a difficult playground. There are the Warriors, who were unbeatable, but then came along the Rockets, who usurped them as the team to beat in the regular season. The Houston Rockets were shock contenders to sign up LeBron this summer, but now that the Lakers had beaten them to it, it makes the road even harder for the Rockets, who now have 2 major contenders in the West.

LeBron James coming to the West throws a spanner in the works of the teams looking to be contenders this season. He is a force to reckon with and as we saw this season, can carry a team to the NBA finals alone. Rockets have already lost Mbah Moute and Ariza to free agency, 2 of their best defenders who were certainly up for defending James.

This weakens them massively. Golden State managed to keep their core together and can take on Lebron as they have every season, the Rockets might be the ones that drop out this season and have to be considered in LeBron's shadow now.

#5 Loser - Lavar Ball:

Lavar Ball isn't the one to back down from a controversy.

The outspoken father of the star Lonzo Ball has always been in the middle of any controversy that surrounds the Lakers. Always saying what is on his mind, no matter how foolish and unnecessary it might be. He likes the spotlight to always be on him and somewhat on his son. It will be interesting how LeBron reacts to all this drama that Lavar enjoys creating.

But given how LeBron has dealt with Gilbert, he shouldn't have any problems dealing with the father of a young sophomore. For all we know, Lavar will probably be conceding to LeBron as we all know it's really LeBron who runs the team and he wouldn't want to be on his bad side, both for his own and his son's sake. We could expect to see his unexpected outbursts to decrease in number this season hopefully.