Don’t hold your breath waiting for a third reunion between LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Although Cleveland has positioned themselves to have loads of salary cap space next summer — when James could potentially be a free agent — the Cavaliers are not proceeding with the intention of landing James, according to The Athletic.
James will be eligible for a $98 million, two-year extension from the Lakers on Thursday. The four-time NBA champion is still quiet about his plans.
Last month, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pointed out that Cleveland will have enough cap space to pursue James to pair him with a young core that went 44-38 last season.
“They have this growing young team. In fact the team that they have right now is more potent than the team that they had that he returned to in 2014,” said Windhorst, referring to James’ return to his hometown team in Cleveland after four years with the Heat.
This is a notable report because Windhorst has been covering James back to his high school days and is one of the most connected reporters on James.
James, who famously left the Cavaliers for South Beach in 2010, took his talents to South Beach where he won two championships along with Dwyane and Chris Bosh. He returned to Cleveland in 2014, and led them to the franchise’s first championship in 2016.
In February, James said “the door’s not closed on that,” while discussing a possible return to Cleveland for a third time in his career. James was also high spirits, being back in Cleveland and being embraced in Cleveland by fans during NBA All-Star Weekend.
“I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free,” James said at the time.
The Cavaliers, though, are reportedly not including James in their current blueprint, which includes a promising young core in Darius Garland (represented by James’ agent Rich Paul), Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. James’ close friend and former Cavaliers teammate, Kevin Love, is the sole veteran presence left in Cleveland from that 2016 title run.
Guard Collin Sexton, who was out for the season in November due to a meniscus tear to his left knee, is still possible to return to Cleveland.
James, who will be 38 in December, has previously said he wants to finish his career playing on the same team as his eldest son, Bronny James — who will be a senior in high school this year and will be eligible for the NBA Draft in 2024.
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