With the San Antonio Spurs getting the best of the Miami Heat in five games, the speculation has already begun in terms of whether LeBron James will opt out of his contract and sign with another team.
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Although many believed it was a stretch that LeBron would leave Miami, the devastating loss to the Spurs may have changed the outlook. One destination that may intrigue the superstar is Los Angeles, but not to join the Lakers.
According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports, LeBron and his family have taken a shine to Los Angeles:
The Los Angeles Clippers? Well, a source said James and his wife, Savannah, love Los Angeles. LeBron James also is close with Clippers point guard Chris Paul and he admires coach Doc Rivers. But the Clippers already have at minimum $66 million in committed salary next season, which leaves no room for James’ max salary.
The rumors will kick into high gear with the Heat losing in convincing fashion to a superior Spurs squad led by aging veterans Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Recently, the Lakers were linked to LeBron with talk of the team waiting on hiring a new head coach with hopes of signing the superstar. The storied franchise landing LeBron is a stretch to say the least, but Mitch Kupchak and company may think there’s an outside chance to bring him to Los Angeles.
LeBron currently has two years left on his deal with the Heat worth $20.5 million next season and $22.1 million for the 2015-16 season. The future Hall of Famer could return to the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer and sign a max deal to play alongside Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and whoever the team chooses with the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
All indications appear to be pointing to the Cavs taking Joel Embiid with their top pick, helping secure the frontcourt. LeBron would fit in perfectly back in Cleveland, but it likely won’t be an instant success as it was in Miami with the team needing a year or two to gel with the future Hall of Famer.
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Although the future remains uncertain for LeBron, the fact of the matter is that he’s more than likely staying in Miami. The Heat may have been incredibly outmatched by the Spurs, but there may not be a better situation out there for the four-time NBA MVP. Cleveland will be intriguing and could give him a chance to redeem himself in Ohio, but it would be nothing more than a dream scenario for owner Dan Gilbert.
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