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LeBron James played an interesting game of “what if” on the most recent episode of “The Shop” and a comment from the Los Angeles Lakers star about the Miami Heat had people talking.
With James uncharacteristically missing the playoffs after a down year in LA, he was asked which playoff teams he could have helped in the 2022 postseason. James’ comments on joining forces with the Warriors made some rounds earlier in the week, but he also mentioned the Heat.
“If there was one team where I could make an immediate impact on in the postseason and we’d be very special, it’d be Miami or Golden State,” James said.
James is already a legend in Miami, having led the team to a pair of titles during the “Big Three” run alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But “The King” obviously liked what he saw out of the latest edition of the Heat with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo leading the way.
The Heat battled to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals but were bounced by the Boston Celtics, who currently hold a 2-1 edge in the NBA Finals over the Warriors.
Heat Could go Star-Hunting This Offseason
There’s speculation that Pat Riley could decide to look for a certified third star to place next to Butler and Adebayo next season and the Heat president didn’t shy away from that sentiment
“If there’s one out there, throw ’em to me,” Riley told reporters this week. “But you can always use more, but it’s got to be a good fit, but not at the cost of doing something that could be prohibitive. So we will look, we will explore, we always do this, it’s part of the business that we chose and whatever the result brings after that season, then you might say we need another this or another that, based on how the league is playing, based on how other teams are playing and matching up with certain teams and stuff like that. So that goes into the equation, we’ll talk about it.”
While the idea of James returning is fun, it’s nothing more than a pipe dream. The four-time MVP is under contract with the Lakers next season for $44.5 million, which is the final year of his deal. Things could get interesting after that, although he’s been open about wanting to play with his son, Bronny, who will be eligible for the NBA by then.
“My last year will be played with my son,” James told Jason Lloyd of The Athletic at the NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland in February. “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.”
James Interested in NBA Expansion to Las Vegas
James has accomplished just about everything you can on a basketball court but recently became the first billionaire NBA athlete. While he still has plenty left in the tank, he is already setting his eyes on ownership.
“I want a team in Vegas,” James said on “The Shop.” “I want the team in Vegas.”
The NBA said it doesn’t currently have any plans to expand, although commissioner Adam Silver did dub both Vegas and Seattle as “great” destination.
“Those are wonderful markets,” Silver said. “We were in Seattle. I’m sorry we are no longer there. We have a WNBA team in Seattle in an almost brand-new building that’s doing spectacular. And Las Vegas, where we will be at our summer league in July, has shown itself to be a great sports market as well.”
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