The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to have a third stint with LeBron James. James has played in Cleveland two separate times and helped them win a championship in 2016. He has played some of the best years of his career in Cleveland.
After playing the last eight seasons in Los Angeles, James has decided to play somewhere else. The Lakers have already spent the cap space that James was occupying on other players. James has several teams that he is considering signing with, including the Cavs.
According to one insider, other teams are worried about James’ affinity for Cleveland.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James passes the ball in a game. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Insider Claims Other Teams are Convinced LeBron James is Signing with the Cavaliers
While appearing on Pardon My Take, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst claims that other teams are afraid that James is going to go to Cleveland. In fact, he says other teams don’t have optimism about signing him.
“I’ve talked to people in Philly, and I’m like, what do you think? ‘We’re afraid it’s Cleveland.’ Everybody I talked to is like, ‘We’re afraid it’s Cleveland.’ Nobody seems like they have optimism.”
Windhorst is well-sourced within the NBA, so this is great news for the Cavaliers. Cleveland doesn’t have much money to give James, and he would have to take a massive pay cut. That could be a reason why James Harden’s contract extension hasn’t happened yet.
Other than Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, Denver, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Golden State are the other teams that could sign him. Those are the ones that James is most interested in. It seems that all of those teams are worried that the allure of going back home will be too much.
James is still an effective player, even at his advanced age. He still averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. While he’s nowhere near as good as he was in his prime, he’s still good enough to be the third-best player on a championship team.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James drives the ball in a game.(Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Cleveland Has High Hopes for Next Season
The Cavs had the most expensive team in the league this past season. They made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time with the current core, and they are hoping to take the next step. Adding James would make them a more interesting team.
Over the course of the summer, the Cavaliers decided not to trade Evan Mobley for a few guys who were on the trade market. Keeping him and allowing him to grow with the organization will be a move that is scrutinized this season, especially if they don’t win a championship.
Figuring out the best way for them to keep Donovan Mitchell happy is what Cleveland needs to prioritize. He is still the best player on the roster, and he is the most important part of the offense. Adding James would likely keep him pleased about the team trying to win by any means necessary.
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