James’ agent informed the team he won’t be returning for the final year on his contract.
LeBron James will test the waters of free agency this summer. The four-time NBA MVP will opt out of the final year of his three-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to a report from Cleveland.com’s James Vardon.
What does this mean for LeBron James?
James immediately becomes the hottest name in a free agent market that also includes all-stars like Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins. He’s coming off arguably his best season as a pro after dragging a disheveled Cavs team all the way to the NBA Finals, where they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.
It’s a move that could limit his potential destinations, all while leaving his hometown team hanging. By opting in, James could have been a premier trade target for teams lacking salary cap space this offseason, much like Chris Paul was in 2017. Instead, James chose free agency, where only a handful of teams — the Lakers, Sixers, and Cavaliers — currently have the financial flexibility to offer him a maximum salary payday.
Those are three very different destinations. Los Angeles promises one of the league’s biggest markets and one of the game’s most prestigious franchises, but the Lakers have been a mess recently. LA hasn’t been to the playoffs in five years, and while adding James would change that, a running crew of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma won’t be enough to supplant the Warriors without some extra help. A player like Paul George — who the Lakers had been prepping a pitch for before he even opted out of his deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder — could be in the mix. Los Angeles has the cap space to add James AND another max-salary free agent this summer.
The Sixers would offer James a slightly smaller market, but one hell of a supporting cast. James would play alongside one of the league’s most dominant young big men in Joel Embiid, a game-changing, rookie of the year point-forward in Ben Simmons, and a 6’10, floor spacing combo forward in Dario Saric. That’s a dynamic, athletic big four who would make Philadelphia immediate favorites to win the Eastern Conference regardless of whether 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz can begin to reach his potential after a disastrous rookie year.
And then there’s Cleveland ...
What does this mean for the Cavaliers?
James’ decision to opt-out doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to leave — but it sure doesn’t look good. Since rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers are 1-8 against the Warriors in the postseason. It’s no stretch to suggest Cleveland has plateaued in James’ second stint with the team. With little cap space and an inconsistent supporting cast, it’s difficult to see how things improve in 2018-19 (barring a miracle run from 2018 draftee Collin Sexton).
But the Cavs have a hometown advantage no other team can match. It’s what brought him back to Ohio after a four-year run in Miami, and it’s what could help convince him to stay this offseason. Cleveland will have to make some major moves this offseason to clear out the deadwood and improve its roster enough to convince James to stay. That will be difficult — but not impossible. James may have opted out, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t paying attention to the Cavaliers in the run up to his next decision.
It’s not just a three-way dance for one of the game’s greatest players, however. General managers across the league will now scramble to create cap space and prepare their pitches for James, even if he’s not super interested in hearing them. There isn’t a team in the league that couldn’t use a superstar like LeBron James.
So where will he end up? We’ve got a few ideas.
