King James. Photo–Flickr. Keith Allison
Recently, LeBron James has been one of the most talked about players and subjects in the NBA. Yes, his amazing plays get a lot of attention, but for the most part, the world is wondering whether James will make a move this summer or stay with his current club, the Cleveland Cavaliers. James can opt out of his contract on July 1st, at the end of the 2017/18 NBA season, to become a free agent. If he does, there will be several teams eagerly waiting to jump at the chance to sign him.
At 33 years old, LeBron James is still considered the best two-way player in the NBA. The 14-time All-Star and 4-time MVP basketball star has made 7 straight finals and 8 overall. The Cavaliers will not be looking to let him go anytime soon.
James has now reportedly narrowed down his choices to four teams that he would potentially sign with. They are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers. It’s all speculation at this point, but out of the four, it seems most likely that James will stay with the Cavaliers.
Staying put makes sense for James. First, he returned to Cleveland to represent his hometown. This pride is one of the reasons he came back in the first place and will still be a big incentive for him to stay. The Cavaliers have since built and revamped their roster to put a great team around James, and he could do well with them next season.
The financial incentives to stay with the Cavaliers are also massive and must be significant in the decision-making process. James is currently the second highest-earning sports star in the world, but it is Stephen Curry who has the highest-paid NBA contract of $201 million over five years. If James re-signs with the Cavaliers at the maximum salary, he is expected to secure $205 million over 5 years, $50+ million more than any other team can offer him.
Other teams do offer good reasons to make a move. Signing with the Rockets would see LeBron James partner with James Harden and Chris Paul. That would make an amazing trio, but the Rockets would probably not be able to sign James outright. They would be relying on a sign-and-trade deal, which the Cavaliers most likely won’t do.
The Los Angeles Lakers gave an impressive performance against the Cavaliers on Sunday, March 11th, with a 127-113 win, showing James what he could be playing with. James also has a second home in Los Angeles, as well as a Hollywood production company to boot. A move to the Lakers is more likely in practical terms, but they would have to work hard to provide a roster that James would be happy with. They have already handed Larry Nance, Jr. and Jordan Clarkson over to the Cavaliers to free up space, but this leaves them with some holes to fill.
Though LeBron James has plenty of options on the table, staying with the Cleveland Cavaliers may be his best move. Staying would be easy, too. James could opt-in to the final year of his existing contract or sign a new five-year contract to secure his $205 million, five-year salary.
