The Miami Heat knew this day was coming. Heat President Pat Riley said as much shortly after Miami lost to San Antionio Spurs, 5 games to 1, in the NBA championship series.
LeBron James, a four-time MVP and the biggest star in the league, has opted out of his lucrative contract with the Heat and will explore feree agency July 1.
The 30-year old James, who averaged 27.1 points this past season, is the most coveted free agent in NBA history. He, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all signed a six year contract that included a clause that allowed them the flexibility to opt out in the final two years of his deal, which in James case, is worth $42.7 million. But money seems irrelevant to a superman who signed a $90 million dollar deal with Nike coming out of high school.
James, who has made four consecutive appearances in the finals and has two rings since arriving in South Beach as a free agent from Cleveland, will be able to sign with any team, including Miami and has a chance to negotiate with multiple suitors like the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta, Golden State, Houston, Dallas Mavericks, the LA Clippers and the Lakers if he feels it will lead to to a third championship.
Or he can stay in Miami, provided he is willing to take less money and can convince the other two members of the Big Three– Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh– to do the same to open up cap space so the Heat can surround the Big Three with a better supporting cast so they can make another run at a title.
The players the Heat have now are not good enough to beat the Spurs.
James is in control of his own destiny in his chase to catch Michael Jordan, who won six rings with the Chicago Bulls.. He is close friends with Carmelo Anthony, the second most intriguing free agent out there, and there is already speculation teams like the Bulls and the Lakers are already devising financial strategies to obtain both stars.
The Bulls could amnesty forward Carlos Boozer for $16 million, trade Mike Dunleavy and his $3.3 million salary and dump the 19th pick to create the necessary cash flow.
The Lakers have reportedly been trying in recent days to package the seventh overall pick in Thursday’s draft with the expiring contract of Steve Nash, who’s owed $9.7 million next season, to free up enough room to offer James and Anthony at least $16 million each.
James has been silent on the subject, allowing his agent Rick Paul to do the talking. But last week, James expressed how intriguing the idea of flexility is to him. “Beinjg able to have flexibility as a professional, anyone, that’s what we all would like;” James said last week. “that’s in any sports, for a football player, a basketball player, a baseball player, to have flexibility and be able to control your future or your present. I have a position to be able to do that. . . Thee’s a lot of timjes that you’re not in control of your future as a porfessional.”
James, who will reportedly represent the USA in the 2016 Olympics, is the rare supersar who could even sign short term deals with multiple teams the rest of his career, picking and choosing with sign with the team he feels has the best chacne to win the playoffs.
This has all the makings of another soap opera, fueled by constant rumors.
Clippers’ coach Doc Rivers and his staff reportedly are doing due diligence to make their franchise better and would be willing to include All Star forward Blake Griifin and others in a sign and trade deal to obtain James and pair him with All Star point guard Chris Paul, an idea that may intrigue the James’ camp.
But the wildest rumors came after James’ wife Savannah James set off a sensation when she posted an Instragram photo of a map of Ohio, with “Akron” written across the image and a star to indicate the city’s location. The image, which was posted Sunday, also includes a caption which says: “Home sweet home!! The countdown is real! #330”
According to ESPN sources, the post refers to the James family’s summer plans. Both LeBron and Savannah James usually spend the majority of the summer at their home in Akron, their hometown, with their two sons. Heat president Pat Riley announced last week that the couple also is expecting a baby girl. The post, however, drew a strong reaction on social media, fueling speculation that James could be interested in rejoining the Cavs as a free agent.
. The Cavs have numerous non guaranteed contracts on their books and extra draft picks they could attach to other players to free up upwards to $30 million dollars. But it be hard for him to put the public characterization of him as a traitor after he left Cleveland
Vegas odds still favor James returning to Miami. Let’s just hope he makes up his mind quickly and we don’t have to sit through another TV farce– “The Decision II.But ”
