“He was scheduled to make $20 million next season and had two years and about $42.7 million remaining on his deal.”
Reppin’ The Heat is looking like it’s about to go down in King James’ history. Don’t believe me… Just ask LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul. Sources say that’s who “informed the Miami Heat that James will exercise his early termination option and become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. But sources say, “opting out does not mean that James has decided to leave the Heat.”
“After Miami’s season-ending loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, James told reporters he would take a vacation with his family before considering his contract options.”
Here is what’s out there:
“Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh also have early termination options… and have not yet told the Heat or publicly revealed whether they will join James as free agents this summer. Bosh and James both said last week that the three would meet before deciding anything about their respective futures, and it’s been widely speculated that they might have to rework their deals to keep the “Big 3” together in Miami.
There’s a conversation that will be had between the three of us,” James said last week. “I think it’s only right. I think we’ve earned that for each other, to have a conversation and see what could possibly happen.”
Here’s what LeBron just put out there…
“Being able to have flexibility as a professional, anyone, that’s what we all would like. That’s in any sport, for a football player, a baseball player, a basketball player, to have flexibility and be able to control your future or your present. I have a position to be able to do that. … There’s a lot of times that you’re not in control of your future as a professional.”
yep
As a Heat fan, I couldn’t careless if he stays or goes. Never been impressed with his game.
This is a joke right?
Gotta be. Or this is a big time hater.
Well ATL BULLY Yanno we have many folks on here with their PhD’s in hateration. I don’t care hwo you are o where u come from, to say that you aren’t impressed with Lebron’s play makes you King Idiot of the World.
Not a dick rider…but I recognize God given talent when I see it.
Lebron may be leaving, but exercising his option is not the indicator of that. He holds all the cards. CB and DW have likely let him know already as to their intentions, and I can confidently say that DW has ZERO plans to exercise his, because he is just a 3 mill a season player at this time on any other team in the NBA. He couldn’t come close to his contract deal if he left Miami. Bosh is in a better position than Wade at this point, which isn’t saying much. But he would be offered decent money on another team.
Lebron’s decision is based on much more than the salary itself. He has his 30 mill home in Akron, his friends and family are there, and his wife has made her desires clear.
As sour as the relationship seems to be between him and Dan Gilbert, the truth is that Gilbert will bow down and eat his words and swallow his pride to have Lebron back in Ohio.
And while I do live in Miami, and I support the Heat, I personally would like to see him back in a Cav’s uniform playing with my man Kyrie Irving! With K.I. on the point, Lebron would easily bring Cleveland three championships in a row. We’re talking Jordan/Bulls and Magic/Lakers time again.
I think they’d need to bring in a few three point shooters in free agency along with Irving and Waiters. Maybe take Wiggins @ #1 and have Varejao, Thompson and Zeller as their bigs. I’d say draft Embiid if not Wiggins but I think Embiid might clog up the lane and also James would be a superb mentor for Wiggins. They could be that SF/SG combo that worked for James and Wade as well as Pippen and MJ.
U would have 2 Lock Down Defenders also.
AND The Cavs the #1 Pick which would have gone 4 the Center from Kansas, (Imbide?)B4 it was revealed how hurt he was, so how bout Lebron & Wiggins starting 4 Cleveland?
No one is taking a center as the no. 1 pick whether they are injured or not. The days of the big space eater are ovah. Wiggins or Parker? Parker has a Carmello style which could work. He doesn’t shoot as well, but he is a better ball handler.
Oh I think Embiid would’ve been #1 if not for the injuries. If anything because of the fact there aren’t many dominant centers. So therefore if you have one you’re ahead of the game.
We’ll never know now though.
Hey Vandellish, I just heard on a very savvy basketball site that as of this minute, the owner is favoring Wiggins and the front office/coaches are leaning towards Parker mostly because of his defense. I know from personal experience that the Cavs like the Dukies overall. Aside from James, two of their best players in recent history were Coach K coached guys: Carlos Boozer and Kyrie Irving. So it makes some sense that they might like the prospect of another one on their team.
I’ll be watching tomorrow night.
been saying that…..your a smart man…
I sure do appreciate that…but I’m a “she.” 🙂
But I do write for a sports blog, so I am accustomed to speaking in a language meant to appeal and resonate with male fans.
James and Gilbert had dinner the other night. They str8
Gave his list of demands which include ownership stake after playing IF he comes back. Lakers making hard run too.
He would play for the Magic before he would go anywhere near Kobe’s ballhog ass. They could give him 1/4 of the team and as long as Kobe is there, he won’t be.
Kobe iz, and ALWAYS will B a PUNK! SNITCHED on Shaq
When he did not have 2.
Wrong. Kobe is the only player who could call bron out. The mentor born never had. He never faced pressure before the cavs made finals. No final four. Kobe would take pressure off. Would be best duo ever.
Put down the pipe man. Lebron doesn’t need to be called out and he doesn’t need a mentor.
…And WHO else would they have, cause Pau ain’t sticking around, not after the way they dangled him 4 trade bait all those years.
They should have Never traded Odom.
Agreed.
Lakers fans don’t even think about it! Lebron ain’t coming to Los Angeles! Kobe and Lebron on the same team? It will never happen!
he looks butted!!!
If he leaves Miami he will need to remain in the eastern conference cause he need to stay as far as he can away Kahwi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard was killing Lebron. Leonard is from Riverside, why didn’t UCLA recruit him?
I have no idea. But he was giving bron bron fits….lol
For Lebron to Cement his Legacy he’s going to have to beat a Dwayne Wade to win a ring not team up with a DWade to get a ring.
For Lebron to cement his legacy, he is gonna have to stop changing teams. He is chasing rings. He needs to take his team and stop trying to do it the easy way. Make it the old fashion way and earn it. face it, sometimes great players don’t win rings. Most of the all time greats have no more than two teams on their resume. With the exception of shaq and Barkley. Ad no one player hasvever won a championship. And all this big three talk is lame, every team that has won a title has three all stars or all star caliber players on it. The big three talk is trumped up bull, you need three horses to win in the NBA. Dr J only gas I ring and he is in the 10 greates to ever play. He didn’t get a ring until Mo cheeks and Moses Malone got to Philly. If he changes teams again, he will lose respect as a great player who could carry his team. All he is worried is trying to have as many rings as Jordan when his curtain call comes around.
Agreed.But you do need players to win in the NBA.Oberon is going to be the most hated superstar ever when the smoke clears because all he does is play for teams for a minute and then leave them in the dust pissing off everyone in the process.Dude needs to find a place and chill and not make so many enemies.
You are right, he is gonna be hated if he does this. And I agree a team needs players to win. But the greats all get picked by sorry teams because that’s who has the lottery picks. The bulls were miserable when Jordan got there. But people realized hat Jordan was the best so they signed on when the got the chance. The same with Isaiah Thomas, David Robinson, Dr j. Karl Malone never got over the hump, but he stayed til he was a fossil. Lebron James is in the best position possible. As long as his there, people will come there to be his helper and play there heart out. and who would not want to south beach and play basketball other than a person like me who grew up there and knows the real Miami. He can call a number of people up who are coming up on free agency and say, come on man let’s get these rings and they will gladly do so. But he is looking like a cheap trick bouncing around, it makes me wonder if he really has confidence in his own ability to build a dynasty and not just be part of a manufactured one. I like Barkley and he could have won a ring or two but he is the reasons he didn’t get one. His work ethic was non existent. The exception to this is Bird and Magic. They went one and two to the two best teams the year they were drafted because of crafty work by the teams GMs. Im not like most because everyone thinks tha MJ is the best ever, I think it was magic because he could play every position and he arguably played his best game ever as a center which also happened to be the championship game. Now Lebron is in this very same position, he is probably the most dominant player in the league right now, and I’m positive he can play 1,2,3,4 and 5 position. He played 4 years in Miami and won two rings. Tell Me a team that can afford him where he can go and do this.
Lebron has all the talent in the world but he lacks the passion and he has no heart.Its pathetic to watch this guy choke in clutch situationa by passing the ball around instead of attacking the paint and putting pressure on the defense which Jordan made a living doing and lebron lacks.
^^^^^this!
BA, I am not disputing the meat of your argument about Lebron vs Jordan in clutch situations, BUT if I may throw in a little personal perspective. The very same personality elements which made MJ an assassin on the court and LJ a less self assured basketball commando are the exact same traits which make Jordan a complete asshole in real life and Lebron an amazingly sensitive and empathetic soul.
I realize that doesn’t mean shit when considering hoops skills and the “who’s the best ever?” argument, but King James just doesn’t have the ice water in his veins and he never will.
I promise you this, King James would never heavily invest in the state prison system, and he is the sort who will give back in a meaningful way. In the long run, he wins and MJ, who is a miserable person IRL loses.
^^^^^ what you say is very very true. Lebron is somewhat of a humanitarian and a very selfless player, even if he is the one on the floo who is paid to seal deal in games, and I’m not being a smart ass. He is the one who the people want to see shoot the ball, he is the one who the owner and coach want to se shoot the last shots. But at times he defers and it too might be because of discipline. Because any kid playing basketball, most coaches preach give the ball to the man with the best shot. It all boils down to Lebron is not as selfish a player but we can not say this about Jordan. Jordan is a grade a asshole and is a miserable f*ck. And I will have to tell you that basketball playing will only be a portion of a persons life, but MJ really has nothing beyond basketball. If his fans met him, he would lose them faster than the price of Jordan’s rise.
@Anon 7:17 I’d never take anything away from MJ on the court because dude was breathtaking but off the court I wouldn’t piss on dude if he was on fire.All that looks black ain’t always black and MJ looks black but he certainly don’t act it.But I totally agree with you.
Hey BA and Eddie! That was me(christa) and I’m happy that y’all mostly agree with my assessment of LJ vs MJ. I am so excited to see what the next few days brings in the way of the draft and possible trades etc. I heard a wild theory on ESPN this morning which had Lebron going to the Knicks for one year only to play with Carmello and for Phil. The sportscaster dropped the tea is no fool, but that seems really out there. It just reinforces how limitless the possibilities are for Bron Bron.
That’s because your interpretation of the situation is correct. But is he goes to NY, that will be the mistake of a lifetime. He needs to stay where he is and mark his territory and make that orginazation his, just like joe Dumars did in Detroit. Dumars did not have what Lebron has as far as media exposure, Miami basket was on its way to belonging to Lebron and Pat Riley. He goes to NY and he will start looking like a role player himself
Hey Sister @Christa I’ve been looking for you.Good to see and hear from you.
Hey Christa!!!!
Hey BA and anonymous!!
BA I’ve been following your travails here over the past couple of weeks with your clone poster. Hang in there my friend…you’ll always have me in your corner. 😉
Lebron will either stay in Miami or go to Cleveland. He ain’t going to the Lackers and he damn sure ain’t going to the KKKlippers!
Dwade is unreliable health wise and he’s been hurt every playoff’s since Lebron’s arrival in Miami.So,with that being said I think nature has runs is course for the big 3 and Lebron should go and attempt to win ring without standing next to Mike/Pippen.
Miami Heat 4 Life…No need to shed tears over these brothas, loyaty is a dinosaur concept in sports. Pat Riley got 2 more rings, i wish Lebron the best.
Only a bitch throws the ball to a bitch like bosh for a last second shot.
Hahaha. Only a bitch would call Lebron one. Give me a bitch like him any day. He’s a damn good man.
I’m from Chicago. And I heard that LeBron was considering coming to the Bulls. Please don’t come to the Chi. We’re goons and LeBron doesn’t have what it takes, nor does he have the IT factor. And they kill me always comparing him to MJ. MJ was a beast in every aspect. LeBron want last in the Chi, we can be very hard on people. LeBron mess around and commit suicide.
I’m from Chicago too and I must say that I wholeheartedly rebuke this post.
MJ is thee best ever…the closes person was Kobe Bryant. I’ll take Kobe over LeBron any day. LeBron sucks, he has no heart. Heart out ways talent all day every day. Chicago is not for him.
vomit@ Kobe
Miami,Cavs blah blah this Negro, Kobe, Garnett et al. need give thanks to jesus, allah, jah, ra and most importantly spencer haywood for these moments 🙂
Haha, the silver city Bullet. Yeah you are right, free agency would not be what it is if he never took on the NBA, and won. Big ups to that brother
Church!
Tabernacle
lol Mr. Iman was indeed a ground breaker in the anti-trust case against the NBA. He laid the trail for Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Kobe, Lebron, and many more non-collegiate types.
Yup July 1 should be an honorary nba holiday. But for the record he brought over Iman and her village/family and gave them greencards and raised their daughter while she launched her career/brand. They dont build men like these anymore.
They kinda do but most sistas jump over them to get to a light skinded boy.
One thing I will say you never would have heard domonique tryin to go play wit mj. These new millenium basketball players are p*ssys they don’t wanna go the extra mile that it takes to be a champion. Kobe is a last of that dying breed he did it wit shaq he did it without shaq. If that is what lj is shooting for without dwade more power to him,but don’t try and team up wit(melo) the best offensive weapon in the league in my opinion. If they do teams like the spurs and clippers will still kick they ass cause they have coaching and systems in place. And I’m a knicks fan and I don’t wanna see lj in a knicks jersey after he been in miami that’s like a blood going to join the crips…….