Sources tell Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that LeBron James will likely opt out of his contract with the Heat next summer and choose between re-signing with the Heat and returning to the Cavaliers, where he began his career. That would appear to leave the Lakers, who are gearing up for a run at the four-time MVP, out of the picture. Of course, James won't be able to sign a new deal with any team until July 2014, so much can change between now and then.
James took less than the max to sign with the Heat in 2010, and he's set to make only slightly more than $19MM this year. That's a figure that's less than the 2013/14 salaries for Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Amar'e Stoudemire and the amnestied Gilbert Arenas, among others, as HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy points out via Twitter. James' deal includes raises to $20.59MM in 2014/15 and to $22.1 for 2015/16, but it would make financial sense for him to lock in a long-term arrangement next summer while he's still at or near his peak.
Amico hears that James' enjoyment of the recruiting process is one reason why he's likely to opt out next summer, which makes it curious that he'd narrow his choices to just two teams. I'd imagine he'd at least meet with the Lakers and others to hear what they have to say, though that's just my speculation.
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler reported this week that James is not a lock to exercise his early-termination option next summer. The former No. 1 overall pick also has a player option he can decline in 2015, so James could take a year-by-year approach. With so much uncertainty, Amico argues the Cavs need not focus too much on the specter of a King James return, even if it appears they have a chance to get him.
please stop.
Well anyway labron will stay in southbeach if his wife is content where they stay and his kids play a factor as well money shouldn’t b a thang to the king he has lots if it and if chasing titles makes him happy than money well guess what labron wil b in southbeach for yrs to come
Stay in South Beach with a rapidly aging d wade and Chris Bosh whos skills has diminished, ,We don’t need him in Cleveland but he sure as hell better jump off that sinking Championship float in Miami!
But yet no one seems to be able to beat this heat team?
Do you think they’d even want lebron back in Cleveland, I mean a lot of people HATE him out there and have said some harsh things about him. I don’t think he wants to be there or that they want him there eothwr, need him but not want him. But hey if a player gets you wins guess you can learn to like him, what happened to Kobe.
I’m from Cleveland and everybody hated hI’m 3yrs ago when he left.. They did a poll back then and 95 percent of people didn’t want him back..Today they did it 97 percent said they would, but I’m tired of the LeBron talk we will see 2014..
Im from Cleveland too. I was really pissed 3 yrs ago, but I would take him back in a second. I do think Lebron wishes he would have done things differently. Not staying in Cleveland, he obviously made a good career choice going to miami, but the whole self centered “decision”. He would get a chance to erase that black mark and go back to being a universally loved athlete. It would be THE sports story of the year
We all want him back who wouldn’t want the greatest player of all time soon to be
LMAO cleveland will NEVER WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP. The most, you’ll be able to do is at least SCRATCH AND SNIFF the playoffs…done and done first round if ya make that far!
If he’s about championships then why would he choose the Heat over the Cavs following next year? Wade is young man in an old mans body, Bosh isn’t going to scare anyone as a 2nd “star” next to LeBron, and the rest of the roster is filled with 35+ year olds. The Cavs have a nucleus currently built around a young stud like Irving and some very nice pieces like Thompson, Gee, Bennett and Varejao – and possibly Bynum if they retain him.
Idiot. I’m not even gonna try to explain it… it’d just go way over your head anyway. It must be nice to live in fantasy land though. You should invite the rest of us…. you know, those of us with the ability to think rationally.
Dont know BrettHD, think the cavs have a much better future nucleus to build aroumd than miami. You add lebron to the cavs right now, with a healthy Bynum, and they are a 55-60 win team. Look at the cavs when lebron left. They overnight were the worst team in the league. He was winnin 60 and 66 games with that level of talent. Way more now…
Dude pg kyrie, sg dion waiters, sf lebron james, anderson verajo, andew bynum, sounds like if all healthy could be dynasty along with everybody making the all star game with there bench when its better then last year now and they were rated 4th wow!
Pg Jerret jack, sg cj miles sf alonzo g pf trishtion Thompson or Anthony Bennett and C Tyler zeller omg that even way better there two deep omg there is still more he better come back he a have 8 to ten rings lo K
Besides, why would LBJ return to cleveland for MB part 2 he didn’t win under him…he’s won 2 under Coach Spo. HR
Dumb @^s need to be band from this site for saying that
I DO? But I won’t BAWHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAABAHHHHHHHHAAAAAAA. YOU MUST MUST BE A CAVS FAN. AND WHILE YA AT, TELL YOUR DUMB ASS CLEVELAND CAVS OWNER THAT HE’S DOWN TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS JUST IN CASE HE HASN’T NOTICED!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND BY THE WAY, KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAN AND BAND BEFORE YOU CALL YA SELF CHECKING ME!!!! BAWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAABAWHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do? Hoop why did you delete my response there was no foul language? THE IRONY OF YOU CALLING SOMEONE “DUMB ASS” KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAN AND BAN(D) BEFORE YOU CALL YA SELF CHECKING ME!!!!!! BAWHHHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
You thinking rationally has LeBron playing on a team without Bosh or Wade and him being happy doing so? Why exactly would he be so loyal to the Heat when he wasn’t even loyal to his home team that drafted him?
No one else comment. The please stop is enough. Do not support writing like this.
On the bright side, all the Heat fans will be able to dig up their old Cavs gear.
LeBron won his titles, and I think he could win one with the Cavs.. If Bynum stau healthy well that would be scary gor the NBA, but I think all this is deeper to LeBron.. His wife said that Miami was a place to vacation not to raise kids.. She & the kids would be a huge factor in all of this.. All her family is in Ohio, and they always go back in the offseason.. 2014 will be interesting..
I agree Dee. If LBJ wins another title next year, what a perfect cap on an amazing career to come back to the city of Cleveland and help them raise their first banner. He would go down as maybe the greatest player in history. And the story lines and news coverage would be huge…Mike Brown, Dan Gilbert…Lebron makes things right in Cleveland. The publicity and the chance to atone for the only real black mark on his career might be too much to pass up
Not gonna happen. LeBron is staying in Miami, he just won back to back championships there.
you do realise he is gonna want money right? he took a huge paycut to play in Miami. Pretty sure he’s not gonna take another paycut when his contract expires.
Dude if you knew how the system works, you’d realize that he gets more money and an extra year if he resigns with the heat.
Because money mattered so much when he signed for less than he could have received in Chicago, NY, NJ, Dallas, or Cleveland…right?
look at the state and city tax rate for Cleveland ohio, then look at Miami. Miami is zero. LeBron made 65mm last yr so he saved approx. 6 million in taxes, I figure his monthly burn rate is right around there so he gets to live for free. he gets to keep much more of his money living in fl. regardless of a smaller contract he still makes more than living in ny, boston, Cleveland, LA
He did not take a huge payola cut he took around 8-10 million dollars over the course of 6 years less but that money is made up with the lack of state income tax in Florida so shut the fuck up you ignorant retard
i have a real hard time believing he would ever play for Dan Gilbert again. “guaranteeing”that the Cavs would win a championship before the “self appointed King” just wasnt very smart. and just incase you forgot, its Lebron – 2, Cavs – 0. shouldnt of burned that bridge dummy!!!
even if lebron wins this year, it still would make sense to go to the cavs. they got great players on rookie contracts and they got bynum/kyrie. the heat, after next year, will probably resign wade and maybe bosh. wades been on the decline, isn’t a star anymore and in 3 years hes gonna be shit. now, u cant just think 3 years ahead. u gotta think 6-7 years ahead. would u really want a wade 6 years from now on your team and taking 11-12 million of your cap space? even if bosh goes, thats ONE extra star you can get, while on the cavs, he would have 2 other stars and great role players. im a heat fan and i say, go to the cavs. by going to the cavs, you are saving us 4 years of simple playoff contention (no way he wins rings on the heat 4-7 years from now) and we can start our rebuilding process instead of being after-bynum era lakers. oh yeah, and you will get 3 more rings most definitely. so, assuming you win another ring this year, you wont just stay at 3 but you have a chance at 5 to 7 total championships. .then people will finally admit you are the greatest player of all time :)
LeBron is going back to the Cavs and Carmelo to the Lakers. It just makes too much sense.
Actually it makes no sense. James won’t return to Cleveland until he’s almost ready to retire.
i dont believe this lol. and i dont think so my lakers will get him either
not going to happen!! the cavs cant even make it in the playoffs and the heat just won their second championship. people got there heads up there asses if the believe lebron is going to leave a dynasty in the making to a shitty team and a city that hates him. then the money thing lebron is set for life with all the money he”s going to make in future as the GOAT
No offense but the Heat where a “shitty team” before LBJ and Bosh got there. He can easily make any team in the top 16 at least serious contenders and I think he gets that now. You put him on the Spurs,Warriors, Bulls,Pacers ex, and they win the finals last season not the Heat. It’s that simple he’s a franchise changer.
Do u not know they were rebuilding u dummy lol whats the point of winning and u want to be drafting smh u fool and when u know u have no shot at a chip at the moment lol I sware people say some of the dumbest shizz
Lebron will opt out and resign with miami, also demarcus cousins will be in a heat uniform after next summer!
I don’t see him returning to Cleveland until he wins all the rings he wants. Cleveland is the city where sports go to die, and I don’t just mean basketball. Just look at the teams, and their droughts to prove my point. The Cavs, Browns, and Indians aren’t doing anything anytime soon. Miami has some young players to build around with LeBron, and when Wade retires that’ll clear up money to sign another big piece.
We’ll see what happens, but I think a Cavs return is a pipe dream.
You’re comparing cities? The Dolphins haven’t won since 1973 and the Marlins just duped the entire city of Miami combined with the fact that Heat fans are considered some of the most “bandwagonish” in all of sports. Miami isn’t exactly the cream of the crop.
Well considering that since the last time any Cleveland team has brought home a title, the city of Miami has enjoyed:
2 Super Bowl titles
3 NBA titles
2 World Series titles
Miami has also had…
The only unbeaten record in NFL history
The second longest win streak in NBA history
Yes I was comparing cities. The only thing you can throw back at me is the whole “bandwagonish” nonsense. Every team in every sport has their fair share of “bandwagonish” fans when they are successful. I highly doubt the Heat had any more so than the Lakers when Phil Jackson led them to all those rings, or the Yankees when they were winning World Series after World Series.
When compared to the sports failure of a city, Cleveland, Miami is the cream of the crop. Plus when there’s nothing else to do in your city, obviously more people will show up for the games. Miami has so many more options than Cleveland.
Those of us in the NY/Chicago/LA/Boston areas aren’t exactly looking at Miami as the cream of the crop. Yes, compared to Cleveland it’s SLIGHTLY more impressive, but compared to nearly any other place, it is not.
The point is, Miami isn’t any better of a destination for the 2015 version of LeBron than Cleveland is. Argue whatever you want about two cities no one cares about but in the end he’s going to a team who has the best chance of winning beyond 2015 – which is CLEARLY the Cavs.
Your ending statement has devalued everything else you’ve said. Miami is one of the top cities in America, CLEARLY, even if the egos in the cities you mentioned wont allow you to admit it.
Go on, and keep thinking that Cleveland will have the best chance to win anything.
By who’s standards? Because MTV portrays it as? No one considers it a “top city in America”, not at least in the civilized world.
By the standards of anyone with common sense, not because of a station that no longer adheres to their own acronym. Miami, whether you like it or not, is one of the top locations, and destinations, in the nation. You don’t have to agree with it to be true, it just is.
I Googled “top destinations in the US” and clicked the first 3 links. The first had it listed at #12, the second link didn’t have it listed in it’s top 20, the third link didn’t have it listed in it’s top 25.
And then there’s this gem:
“According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004, Miami had the third highest incidence of family incomes below the federal poverty line in the United States, making it the third poorest city in the USA, behind only Detroit, Michigan (ranked #1) and El Paso, Texas (ranked #2). Miami is also one of the very few cities where its local government went bankrupt, in 2001.”
Then of course there’s the fact that Miami had a 3x higher violent crime rate in 2011 than the average US city. But yeah, I can see why you deem it a “top city”.
I’ll stop responding now. Obviously you live there and it’s causing your blind love for the city. The fact is this, the rest of the U.S. DEFINITELY does not think highly of anything Miami related – aside from maybe the women.
Have you forgotten the way Lebron was treated by the Cavs’ Owner after his own stupidity in not trading him to Miami for Wright, Beasely and Anthony? With those young players plus the luck they’ve had in the draft with those young players they would be in position to make playoff runs every year for the next 3 or 4 years! But no they had to act like the spoiled little 1%ers they are. Lebron’s feelings were legitimately hurt. I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that Lebron will return to the cavs until he’s ready to retire. Remember money is not an issue with him he took less money to come to Miami in the first place.
Dumb…those three players sure are burning up the NBA scene right now…Who does Beasley play for now anyways?
Dan Gilbert’s open letter after LeBron “took his talents to South Beach” probably took care of any chance that The King would ever again wear a Cavs uniform. It reminded me of a tantrum thrown by a spoiled two year old, if a two year old could write.
I still laugh at the notion the owner would declare that the Cavs would win a ring before him.
LeBron 2
Cleveland 0
It’s the SUMMER, there is nothing going on right now besides baseball. They all have to speculate about something. Always notice, the catch phrase “SOURCES SAYS”!
even if lebron wins this year, it still would make sense to go to the cavs. they got great players on rookie contracts and they got bynum/kyrie. the heat, after next year, will probably resign wade and maybe bosh. wades been on the decline, isn’t a star anymore and in 3 years hes gonna be shit. now, u cant just think 3 years ahead. u gotta think 6-7 years ahead. would u really want a wade 6 years from now on your team and taking 11-12 million of your cap space? even if bosh goes, thats ONE extra star you can get, while on the cavs, he would have 2 other stars and great role players. im a heat fan and i say, go to the cavs. by going to the cavs, you are saving us 4 years of simple playoff contention (no way he wins rings on the heat 4-7 years from now) and we can start our rebuilding process instead of being after-bynum era lakers. oh yeah, and you will get 3 more rings most definitely. so, assuming you win another ring this year, you wont just stay at 3 but you have a chance at 5 to 7 total championships. .then people will finally admit you are the greatest player of all time
All you Cleavland fans that say your not pissed anymore and would take him back are only gonna get burned twice!
Dude is coming back to a dynasty wtf better go look at that line up again with him in it
I say again PLEASE STOP supporting this type of journalism…if it says written by Chuck Myron, I’ll tune out!