LeBron James has changed teams twice in his career. Both instances could be regarded as a circus. “The Decision” now eight years old is perhaps the pinnacle of free agency announcements. When it become possible James would return to Cleveland, people tracked flights and private jets to see if it was really true. This time around will be different.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne says that LeBron James will not be entertaining big pitches and productions from teams who seek his services. Shelburne says her sources say James and his team are aware of the landscape of the league and are informed enough to make a decision. This is different from 2010 and 2014, where the league was more wide-open in terms of contenders and financial situations.
The suitors for James have whittled down to Cleveland and Los Angeles, with Philadelphia a distant third according to Brian Windhorst. The recruiting started many months ago, with the Sixers putting up billboards trying to woo LeBron to “finish the process”. Los Angeles has long been rumored to be interested in James, and Cleveland is only in the mix because that is home.
This decision will be different to years past for James. His deciding factors have been rumored to be heavily based on comfort, family, and winning. Cavaliers GM Koby Altman has said that the team has maintained good dialogue with James throughout the offseason so far.
