Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 10 July 2018

It’s official: Lakers announce LeBron James has signed

By GREG BEACHAM with a specific plan to rebuild
AP Sports Writer the franchise by persuading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s of- established superstars to join
ficial. LeBron is a Laker. as free agents.
The Los Angeles Lakers an- The Lakers already have be-
nounced the signing of LeB- gun assembling a revamped
ron James as a free agent team around James by ac-
Monday night, confirming quiring Rajon Rondo, JaVale
the seismic shift created by McGee and Lance Stephen-
the four-time NBA Most Valu- son in free agency while re-
able Player’s decision to leave taining guard Kentavious
Cleveland for the 16-time Caldwell-Pope. Los Angeles
champion franchise on the also assembled a reasonably
West Coast. talented young core before
James’ representatives at James’ arrival with Brandon
Klutch Sports Group tweeted Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuz-
a photo of James signing his ma and Josh Hart.
contract with Lakers general But they didn’t even get a
manager Rob Pelinka. James’ meeting with star scorer Paul
agency already announced George before the Southern
last week that the superstar California native re-signed
had agreed to a four-year with Oklahoma City, and their
deal worth $153.3 million efforts to acquire disgruntled
with Los Angeles. The Lakers In this June 8, 2018, photo, Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James stands on the court in the first half two-way superstar Kawhi
have missed the playoffs in a of Game 4 of basketball’s NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in Cleveland. Leonard from San Antonio
franchise-record five consec- Associated Press haven’t borne fruit so far.
utive seasons, while James Magic Johnson, the Lakers’ offs and to the NBA Finals.” feel more grateful and hon- The Lakers don’t appear to
has played in the past eight president of basketball opera- James is coming off one of his ored,” Pelinka said. “When be planning a public event to
NBA Finals with the Miami tions, called James “the best greatest NBA seasons, play- LeBron James — a perennial welcome James to Los Ange-
Heat and the Cleveland Cava- player in the world” in a news ing in all 82 regular-season NBA MVP and champion who les, where he already owns
liers, winning three titles. release. games for the Cavaliers while is playing at the most aston- multiple homes and spends
The 33-year-old budding en- “He loves to compete and is finishing third in the NBA ishing levels of his career — summers with his family.
tertainment mogul immedi- an awesome leader who is with 27.5 points per game chooses to join the Lakers, it But Blaze Pizza — the growing
ately becomes the focus of about winning and making and hitting career highs with serves as the ultimate valida- pizza chain in which James is
the Lakers franchise and a sure that his teammates are 8.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists. tion for what we are building an investor — announced a
possible foundation for the successful,” Johnson said. He then carried Cleveland to here. However, we all know three-hour pizza giveaway on
NBA’s next superteam, de- “The Lakers players are excit- its fourth consecutive NBA that the work is not yet done.” Tuesday to welcome James to
pending on whether James ed to have a teammate who Finals, where the Cavs were James’ arrival is indeed vali- LA. LeBron responded with a
and the Lakers can persuade has been to nine NBA Finals. swept by Golden State. dation for Johnson and Pelin- tweet , his first since June 26:
more superstars to join him in It’s a huge step closer to re- “This is a historic moment for ka, who took over the Lakers’ “Haven’t been to a pizza party
the next year or two. turning the Lakers to the play- the Lakers, and we could not front office in February 2017 in a minute ... Culver City?”q

Hinchcliffe wins at Iowa for 1st victory of ‘18

By LUKE MEREDITH the 300 laps before Hinch- from fourth to second in
AP Sports Writer cliffe seized control as New- the standings behind Scott
NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Less garden battled lap traffic. Dixon and cut his deficit to
than two months after fail- Newgarden finished fourth. 33 points. Dixon was never
ing to qualify for the India- Ed Carpenter threw a a factor, finishing a season-
napolis 500, James Hinch- curveball at the field worst 12th.
cliffe roared from behind to when he spun out and got “I can’t complain much. It’s
seize one of the more satis- clipped by Sato six laps a tough pill to swallow to
fying victories of his IndyCar from the finish, drawing a see (Hinchcliffe) go by me.
career. caution. Newgarden went We just didn’t have it at the
Hinchcliffe passed Josef James Hinchcliffe (5) races his car during the IndyCar Series in for new tires while Hinch- end, and sometimes you
Newgarden with just over auto race Sunday, July 8, 2018, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, cliffe stayed out, with the can’t forecast that com-
40 laps left to win at the Iowa. American hoping to catch pletely,” Newgarden said.
Iowa Speedway on Sun- Associated Press Hinchcliffe if the race went “It just went away from us.”
day, his first victory of the us, and to come here and Spencer Pigot was a ca- green again. Will Power, Newgarden’s
season. He will now head do it like that ... I’m just so reer-best second, followed It didn’t, and Hinchcliffe Team Penske teammate,
to his hometown track, the stoked,” Hinchcliffe said. by Takuma Sato in his first cruised past Iowa’s corn- started on the pole. But
Streets of Toronto on Sun- “To miss (the Indy 500) is a podium since a stunning inspired start-finish line in Iowa is the only active
day, with more momentum huge blow for every single win at the Indy 500 in 2017. first for Schmidt-Peterson track in the series where a
than he’s had in a long time. member of the team... but Newgarden dominated Motorsports under caution. pole sitter has never won a
“This is such a good feeling if anything, it fueled us. It much of the race like he But it wasn’t all bad news for race — and it was appar-
after what happened in made us want to perform did in winning at Iowa two Newgarden, the defend- ent early on that that trend
May. We knew we had it in better, push harder.” years ago, leading 229 of ing champion. He moved would continue.q