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During his NBA All-Star Media Day availability, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra lamented having lost an opportunity with LeBron James. While praising the superstar’s longevity and skill, Spoelstra noted that James has impressed him with his ability to play at the center spot this season for the Lakers.
The coach went on to confess that, if he could, he would hop in the DeLorean, go back to James’ South Beach days and give him some time in the pivot.
“He’s playing the center this year and I really feel remiss about that. If I knew he was willing to play center, I would’ve done that 10 years ago,” Spoelstra said. “We played him one through four anyway… Ron Rothstein, my old assistant coach, he always said to me back then… if we started LeBron at any one of the positions, he’d be the best player at his position.”
Spoelstra may have missed the boat on big man LeBron back then, but it’s at least conceivable that he could get a chance for a do-over. Miami just needs to draft a very specific player sometime in the next few years.
LeBron: If You Want Me, Draft Bronny
For some time now, the idea that James could extend his career in an attempt to team up with his now 17-year-old son, Bronny James, has been a regular talking point on the hoops blogosphere. However, during his own media session on Saturday, the King made his most definitive statement on the subject to date.
“My last year will be played with my son,” James said, via The Athletic. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
As it stands, Bronny won’t be eligible for the NBA draft until 2024, when his all-everything dad will be nearing his 40th birthday. However, if the league nixes the current one-and-done rule, the former could enter the draft pool in 2023.
The elder James is currently under contract with the Lakers through the 2022-23 campaign, after which he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.
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Miami Has Already Been Labeled a Potential Landing Spot
As noted by Maxim’s Chris Sheridan, the Heat are among the oddsmakers’ favorites to land the 18-time All-Star. Bronny’s status notwithstanding, the longtime hoops scribe noted that the Heat have a lot going for themselves should they pursue a reunion:
James still has a strong relationship with Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra and other members of the Miami Heat organization, and he could do a lot worse than joining forces with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Sixth Man of the Year lock, Tyler Herro.
Of course, with All-Star Weekend emanating from Cleveland, there was a lot of chatter on Saturday about James going back to the Cavs. And James himself confessed that a third stint with the franchise that drafted him is, at the least, within the realm of possibility.
“The door’s not closed on that,” he told The Athletic. “I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds…”
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