The Miami Heat are dealing with the disappointment of LeBron James picking the Philadelphia 76ers over them, but it turns out they were close to landing him. James was interested enough in Miami’s pitch that his agent Rich Paul thought he was going there. Every prediction market made the Heat a strong favorite to sign LeBron all week until he changed course by selecting the 76ers.
ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne shared the following insight on how close Miami came:
“For a lot of the time, [Paul] thought it was going to end up being Miami. That seemed to be a nice fit, that story. But he said you know, when you’ve been to a place before, when you’ve won in a place before – if you go back, it may not be the same.
You want to leave those memories where they were; you want to leave those memories as they are. They had a great time together when they won two titles in Miami. This appeal of something new is attractive.”
The phrasing that the Heat were the favorites for “a lot of the time” meant that James was clearly leaning towards Miami. Odd shifts usually come from something real to back that up. However, LeBron opted to pass on teaming with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo once Philly won him over.
Miami Heat Did All They Could To Land LeBron James
Part of the Shelburne quote touched on the reasoning that Paul gave for why LeBron passed on the Miami return. Playing for a former team could ruin or tarnish his legacy and the memories that came from winning two NBA Championships together.
James liked the way that his Heat career concluded and didn’t want to rock the boat by returning there. The Cleveland Cavaliers could be considered under the same umbrella for his legendary tenure there.
Philadelphia provided a true fresh start to play for a new organization and fan base with the chance to contend for a title. Teammates like Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid make up a special roster that will have one of the highest ceilings in the entire NBA.
LeBron James Makes Miami’s Season Much Harder
Pat Riley can still rest easier knowing that he was able to trade for his top dream via the Giannis deal. However, the Heat gave up so much that they currently lack depth with Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Tim Hardaway as their main role players.
Philadelphia becomes significantly better after adding both LeBron and Brown to the already talented roster. The New York Knicks are keeping their stars to have a strong chance of repeating as the Eastern Conference Champions after a dominant title run.
Two heavy hitter teams in front of Miami already make it a challenging season to beat better rosters. Other teams like the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and Cavaliers have finals hopes as well. The Heat must find creative ways to upgrade the roster and find depth for any chance of reaching the 2027 NBA Finals.
Rich Paul Originally Expected LeBron James To Pick Miami Heat