LeBron James is still a free agent, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still one of the teams trying to secure his services for next season. Whether or not they’re the front-runners to do so is anyone’s guess, even though other teams seem to think that they are.
LeBron has always handled free agency differently than most. He and his team have always played things pretty close to the vest. While there are signs that James could be leaning one way or another, the only people who really know what he’s thinking are he and his team.
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Not directly meeting with prospective teams is a new wrinkle James is adding this go around. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, James’s agent, Rich Paul, will be the one meeting with teams, and then will relay that information back to James for his decision.
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Figuring out what exactly this means for the Cavs or their chances is truly anyone’s guess.
On one hand, it’s easy to see this news and talk yourself into being a good thing for the Cavaliers. After all, why would James have to meet with Dan Gilbert and/or Koby Altman to discuss? LeBron has worked with both during his time in Cleveland. It’s not like they would need to get to know each other or anything like that. This could mean that he isn’t seriously considering a drastically different environment like the Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors.
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However, if you wanted to read this more pessimistically, you’re more than able to do that as well. Paul has been pretty complimentary of the other teams in the process, especially ones like the Philadelphia 76ers, on his podcast, Game Over, with Max Kellerman. Could any particular preference Paul has for a team possibly sway James’s opinions?
Maybe LeBron comes back to Cleveland. Maybe he doesn’t. How much of a factor James not meeting with individual teams, but letting Paul do so, is truly anyone’s guess. But that’s how much of the last few weeks have gone. We don’t know what LeBron is thinking, and we won’t until he officially tells us which city he’ll be playing for in his 24th season.