There are some moments in sports that just don’t go away. They hang in the back of your mind, rotting your good spirit and intentions. Every fan has them. Moments they’d love to forget but are just too painful to let go of. For Cleveland fans, God help their poor souls, it’s “The Decision”
Could LeBron James Leave Miami?
In July of 2010, LeBron James was unarguably the best basketball player in the world. Him and his Cavalier team were poised to win a championship any year that they pleased. Yet, season after season, they fell short. Now in 2010, after a crushing defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semis, the Cavaliers were under fire. Some questioned the effort of LeBron James, other the management of the team. While there were many signals that LeBron might rid himself of Cleveland, their fans, and management, still lived in oblivion. LeBron was born and raised in the neighboring Akron, Ohio, and the “hometown hero” narrative was too much to let go of. Soon enough, it let go of them.
James bolted Cleveland to join forces with fellow star Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. The aftermath became the polarizing sequence in the history of sports. LeBron danced the night away in south Florida, while jerseys were burned in eastern Ohio. Now, four years later, the cuts have not healed, and James is still booed and cried about in Cleveland.
You’re probably tired of hearing about this, right? Me too. So, let’s get to the good stuff.
In the coming offseason, James has the opportunity to opt out of the final year of his contract, making him a free agent once again. While I can’t read his mind, I know one thing is for certain: LeBron wants to win, and no team, or player, is in front of that. While all things point to him rejoining his South Beach compadres, don’t be surprised if decides to pack his bags and join a new franchise. If he chooses to opt out of his final year, which he’ll most likely do, LeBron James will become the most coveted free agent since, well, LeBron James.
Tension is running high throughout the league, and rumors are already flying. Most of them are just that: Rumors. It’s about time somebody separates the real from the phony. Shall we?
(We’ll separate potential teams by Contender and Pretender. Contenders are teams that have a shot at landing LeBron James, and Pretenders, well, you get the idea.)
Contenders:
Los Angeles Clippers: The surging Clippers are making serious noise in prominent NBA circles. The previously second-fiddle Los Angeles team has all of the pieces to bring an NBA championship this year, and, all of the pieces to bring in LeBron James next year. The Clips have a slew of expiring contracts, giving them valuable sign-and-trade assets and cap room for the offseason. More importantly, they aren’t entirely tied to Blake Griffin, and would be willing to give him up for LeBron.
It’s common knowledge that James and Chris Paul are close friends. After spending extensive time together at the Olympics and numerous All-Star Weekends, the two have grown quite close. Paul was even the best man at James’ wedding. This could play large as far as recruitment goes. All in all, the Clippers promote a winning culture from top to bottom, and that’s what’s most attractive to LeBron.
Miami Heat: Many NBA superstars have a flare for the dramatic. We can often see them flirting with free agency signings, while all the while using it as a way to get more cash from their original team. We saw it last season with Chris Paul, who got “close” to signing with the Rockets, only to get a heftier contract from the Los Angeles Clippers. This is most likely what LeBron James will do this summer. You will hear inklings of private meetings and talks over dinner, but in reality, LeBron enjoys South Beach, and isn’t likely to leave.
Pretenders:
Cleveland Cavaliers: Oh, Cleveland, why can’t you do anything right? During this past offseason, league-wide whispers spoke of LeBron possibly reuniting with the Cleveland this offseason. Essentially, all the Cavaliers had to do was prove they were a worthy franchise, and LeBron might consider jumping on board. They couldn’t even do that! How about we list everything that has gone wrong for Cleveland this year?
1. Kyrie Irving, their star player, has taken serious steps back and proven to be inconsistent.
2. The key free agent signee, Andrew Bynum, was a locker room disease and was immediately traded from the team.
3. The team’s General Manager was fired.
4. Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson, two promising young players, got involved in shoving match over an argument about Kyrie Irving.
5. The team will most likely not make the playoffs in the worst conference in recent memory.
You tell me, would LeBron James want to join that fiasco? That’s what I thought. Sorry Cleveland, there is no hope for the Cavaliers. Hey, at least you still have the Browns! Wait, nevermind.
Los Angeles Lakers: Sitting pretty at last place in the Western Conference, this is possibly the worst Laker team of all time. Fortunately for them, they have more cap space than any team in the NBA. Having only two players signed beyond this season (Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash), the Lakers will literally have ten new players come next season. Will LeBron James be one of those new players? In a nutshell: No. There are too many factors weighing against them. Mike D’Antoni is not an appealing coach for James, and they would most likely butt heads. Kobe Bryant is still a valued member of the team and would not be open to give up his leadership role. If you’re a Los Angeles Lakers fan, prepare for a pretty disappointing free agency period. On the other hand, I guess this Andrew Wiggins guy is pretty good, huh?
The “Decision 2” should be substantially less exciting, as LeBron has grown as a player and a person. Regardless of how interesting his free agency gets, James will probably keep it to himself, something he could’ve used last time. Nonetheless, expect ESPN and the like to be all over it. Come July, you’ll probably be tired of hearing about it. If the “Decision 2” is anything like most movie sequels, it’s gonna stink. But, if you can’t get enough of the NBA rumor mill, you should have a fun summer.
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