Nobody really knows where LeBron will be in 2018-19. But one thing is for sure: The King can do whatever he wants.
Will LeBron stay a Cav? After signing a three-year, $100 million contract in 2016, James can and will opt out of the contract and become a free agent. Well, that’s the rumor.
But that conclusion was drawn before an earthquake hit Believeland. A recent roster overhaul has transformed the Cavs from the NBA’s oldest team to a young and (immediately) impressive club.
Courtesy: Live Intentionally
The roster moves came amid a disappointing season in which the Cavs had dropped eight of ten games at one point. LeBron publicized his frustration with the Cavs’ front office. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, that frustration centers primarily on a complex and rocky relationship with owner Dan Gilbert. The King reportedly declined to accept Gilbert’s requested to commit to the Cavs beyond the 2018 season.
This isn’t the first time the two have had differences. After James left Cleveland for Miami, Gilbert made his dissatisfaction clear by publicizing a letter that accused James of a “shocking act of disloyalty” and a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal.” LeBron responded by saying that he felt betrayed and surprised by Gilbert’s letter: “I believed in my heart that I had gave (sic) that city and that owner, at that point in time, everything that I had.” James intimated that Gilbert’s letter also included racist undertones.
While the two have “made up” (after all, James was lured back to the Cavs), it’s plenty clear that the relationship between star player and club owner isn’t ideal.
Having said that, might the recent Cavs’ roster makeover be enough to sway LeBron to stay in Cleveland? The reality is that the Cavs have brought in three players nearing their prime–including Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, and Rodney Hood–and the club also holds Brooklyn’s likely top-ten pick in the upcoming draft.
Where would LeBron go if he decides that the Cavs aren’t best for him? He reportedly has a list of teams that he’d consider: the Lakers, Warriors, Spurs, Heat, and Rockets.
Golden State is the most intriguing of those teams. With a roster that already includes Curry, Durant, Thompson, and Green, would there be room for NBA’s “King”? Although LeBron has reportedly denied a rumor that he would meet with Golden State this off-season, why wouldn’t he be interested in joining a team that has become an NBA force?
LeBron as a Warrior is a disturbing thought, actually. But returning to the Cavs is by no means is out of the question. The Cavs are younger and deeper, and Cleveland is LeBron’s home, after all.
Nobody really knows what LeBron will do. But make no mistake about this: The King can do whatever he wants.
