LeBron James Says Chicago Bulls Are Better Than Cleveland Cavs Right Now

LeBron James' basketball genius extends beyond his ability to learn new offensive systems overnight or make passes three steps ahead of the defense.

He is also, apparently, a master of motivation.

Per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, James had this to say about the Chicago Bulls ahead of an Oct. 20 preseason tilt against the conference rivals: "[The Bulls] are a team that's much better than us right now just off chemistry. They've been together for a while, we've got a long way to go."

James went on to explain how the Bulls, core intact for the better part of a half-decade, have pulled together because of the adversity they've faced. Cleveland, newly assembled this past offseason, has yet to endure any character-forging ordeals.

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You've got to go through something in order to create a bond; that means for the worse. We've got to lose ball games that we think we should have won, we've got to get into an argument here and there every now and then just to test each other out...

It has to happen. I know it is going to happen. A lot of guys don't see it, but I see it. That's the only way we're going to be able to grow.

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LBJ is correct; Chicago has more chemistry currency in savings.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

But the Cavs are rich in talent—probably richer than any other NBA team. James knows this, so he could be trying to galvanize that talent by slighting it publicly. The fact that his comment about the Bulls is logically defensible doesn't matter to guys like Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.

They're going to take what James said as a challenge—which they should.

Because it is.

Per Chris Haynes of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer: 

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James' acknowledgment that Chicago is a better team speaks to where Cleveland is. On paper, the Cavaliers are a team destined for a trip to the NBA Finals. It's going to take more than just special names on the back of a jersey. It's going to take enduring turmoil, scrutiny and adversity to reach greater heights.

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Organic adversity—via a tough loss or locker-room confrontation—might take too long to arise on its own. So maybe James is trying to engineer some. He knows how important it is for a team to be battle-tested, and if he can create a scenario in which a preseason win over the Bulls feels like some kind of triumph, perhaps it'll pay off later.

The East has two legitimate contenders: Cleveland and Chicago. And they're bound to meet in the postseason unless something drastic changes the conference landscape. James knows it'll take talent to come out ahead of the Bulls, but he also understands how important it is to create some mental advantages.

By subtly digging at his team and questioning its readiness, he's trying to prepare his teammates for what's ahead.