Ahead of one of the most important decisions of his NBA career, forward LeBron James has plenty of options heading into what should be an eventful free agency period.
Of course, James has been linked to the Lakers and also, to a lesser extent, teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets. That being said, the Cleveland Cavaliers still can’t be counted out, despite James declining his $35.6 million option with the club days ago. However, no face-to-face meeting will take place between the two sides according to a report from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
When NBA free agency officially opens at 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers will not meet in person with LeBron James or his representatives, sources told ESPN.
James’ camp and the Cavaliers’ front office have maintained a dialogue since the season ended, sources said.
[Rich] Paul, who represents several other players entering into free agency — Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Nerlens Noel among them — will conduct all his business over the phone when free agency begins, sources told ESPN.It is unclear at this point if an in-person meeting between James and the Cavs has been scheduled down the line.
Though there is no meeting between LeBron James and the Cavs set to take place at the onset of free agency, one could be held down the road depending on how things shake out. It’s also important to note that the sides have been in contact since their campaign’s disappointing finish.
Speculation surrounding James and the Lakers continues to ramp up as free agency sits on the horizon. However, the Cavs can’t be ruled out of the equation, no matter how much the odds seem to be stacked against them.
Cleveland can still offer LeBron more than any other team, with the ability to put forth a 5 year, $207 million offer but James can certainly pursue situations that give him a better chance to win elsewhere. Once free agency begins at midnight on July 1, LeBron and his team will undoubtedly assess every situation thoroughly prior to making a final decision.
