The Miami Heat are trying to sign LeBron James in free agency. They have been pursuing him ever since he decided he wasn’t going to play for the Lakers any longer. He played in Los Angeles for eight seasons and will now play the final chapter of his career somewhere else.
Miami has felt confident that it can land him, especially since he played four seasons for the Heat. He won two of his championships in Miami, and he has a great relationship with Erik Spoelstra. However, it seems like they are about to get some bad news.
One Warriors insider has reported that Golden State believes that Cleveland is going to be the destination that James chooses.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dribbles the ball in a game. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
Heat Seemingly Will Lose Out on LeBron James to the Cavaliers
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Golden State believes Cleveland will be where James signs, which is still bad news for Miami.
Their (Golden State’s) decision-makers, really from the beginning of this free agency, have not expressed much optimism to me that they will ultimately be the destination. They know they’re in on it. They’ve identified, from the beginning, Cleveland as what they believe is the most-likely destination.”
That is obviously bad news for every other team, and that includes the Heat. Miami is hoping to have James play next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom they traded a lot of depth to acquire. Miami was hoping to bring him in to help run what would be the most devastating pick-and-roll in the NBA.
Losing James to the Cavs would hurt because it would hurt their chances to win the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is already one of the best teams in the East. Bringing him to the rest of the roster in Cleveland would make them immediate title contenders.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks the ball in a game. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Miami Might Need to Pivot Away From LeBron James
James would have been a great addition to the roster, but it seems like the Heat might need to pivot away from their hopes of signing him. They still have the midlevel exception to use on a player, although the pickings are slim at this point. Ideally, they could use a guard.
There are very few guards who can make a real impact who are still free agents. James essentially could have played point guard for the team, as he loves to handle the ball. Instead, it seems that they will be relying on Davion Mitchell to run the team, unless a trade is made.
If James does sign with the Heat, they could be considered one of the favorites to win the East. If he doesn’t play for them, Miami is going to have a tough time getting out of the second round. Too many other teams in the Eastern Conference have gotten better in the offseason around them.
Heat Seemingly Get Bad News in Pursuit of LeBron James