{"id":1485264,"date":"2022-02-24T14:13:46","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T19:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1485264"},"modified":"2022-02-24T14:15:24","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T19:15:24","slug":"lebron-james-might-be-open-to-a-cleveland-reunion-but-the-cavs-arent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/lebron-james-might-be-open-to-a-cleveland-reunion-but-the-cavs-arent\/","title":{"rendered":"LeBron James Might Be Open to a Cleveland Reunion, But the Cavs Aren't"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/tag\/lebron-james\/\">LeBron James<\/a> created a stir during All-Star Weekend when he said he\u2019s open to the idea of returning to the <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/tag\/cleveland-cavaliers\/\">Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>. Immediately, the talking heads ran with this idea, with some dreaming up scenarios to get The King back to The Land next season. It was part of a salvo of passive-aggressive shots James took at the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the idea of Part 3 for James and the Cavs proved irresistible to some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a nice dream, if fevered. There\u2019s just one problem: The Cavaliers are one of the feel-good stories in the NBA this season. Fourth in the Eastern Conference, Cleveland is a legitimate contender in a wide-open race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what if the Cavs don\u2019t want a reunion with James?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lebron-james-delivered-on-his-promise-to-cleveland\">LeBron James delivered on his promise to Cleveland<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"LeBron James&#039; Epic 2016 Playoffs and Finals\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_xvrTTwwfB4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When LeBron James announced in July 2014 he was returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he boldly declared that bringing a title to Northeast Ohio was important to him. He told Lee Jenkins of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/2014\/07\/11\/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sports Illustrated<\/a> he left the organization to pursue championships. Two rings with the Miami Heat later, he wanted to deliver a title to Cleveland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He did that in 2016, helping the Cavs become the first team ever to erase a 3\u20131 NBA Finals deficit to take down the record-setting Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But things deteriorated from there. According to Brian Windhorst of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/insider\/insider\/story\/_\/id\/33338796\/lebron-james-used-all-star-weekend-put-los-angeles-lakers-notice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESPN<\/a>, LeBron\u2019s play in January 2018 made it clear he disengaged from the franchise. The team made a bevy of trades, James was happy, and the season ended with a fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then The King signed with LA in the offseason. <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/cavs-president-koby-altman-admits-cleveland-fell-on-face-after-lebron-james-departure\/\">The Cavs collapsed<\/a>. But Altman\u2019s rebuild is paying results now. Cleveland is a playoff-caliber team without James on the roster for the first time this century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to one report, the organization isn\u2019t interested in fixing what already works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-cleveland-cavaliers-are-just-fine-thanks\">The Cleveland Cavaliers are just fine, thanks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What Makes the 2021-22 Season a Success for the Cavaliers - Sports4CLE, 2\/23\/22\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D5h64wu1tTU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The concessions the Cleveland Cavaliers made to LeBron James in 2018 set the franchise back. The result was a third Finals loss in four seasons and King James bolting when his contract expired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the fourth season of the second post-LBJ era in Cleveland, the Cavs are fighting for a top-four seed in the East. Veteran Kevin Love transitioned beautifully into sixth-man and locker-room leadership roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019ve weathered two season-ending injuries in the backcourt. Altman deftly flipped one of them, Ricky Rubio, and landed Caris LeVert, giving the offense the slasher it lacked after Collin Sexton went down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why bring back James? According to Marc Stein on <a href=\"https:\/\/marcstein.substack.com\/p\/after-all-star-we-needed-to-talk?utm_source=url\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Substack<\/a>, Cleveland is content to go its own way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn conversations with people that I had in Cleveland, I think it\u2019s just assumed that the Cavs would jump at the chance to get LeBron back, and I really don\u2019t think that\u2019s the case,\u201d Stein said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Koby Altman deserves to be in the Executive of the Year conversation, the same way J.B. Bickerstaff should get considerable support for Coach of the Year. Cleveland has two young All-Stars in Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and a Rookie of the Year frontrunner in Evan Mobley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They deserve a chance to see what they\u2019ve got. Besides, the salary-cap math isn\u2019t attractive for the Cavaliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-cleveland-cavaliers-aren-t-in-a-hurry-to-become-taxpayers-again\">The Cleveland Cavaliers aren\u2019t in a hurry to become taxpayers again<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jamescavs.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=576&#038;strip=all&#038;quality=89\" alt=\"With young stars like Evan Mobley leading a revival, the Cleveland Cavaliers don't need a third time around with LeBron James.\" class=\"wp-image-1485269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jamescavs.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jamescavs.jpg?w=300&amp;h=169 300w, https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jamescavs.jpg?w=768&amp;h=432 768w, https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jamescavs.jpg?w=1024&amp;h=576 1024w, https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jamescavs.jpg?w=107&amp;h=60 107w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>With young stars like Evan Mobley (4) leading a revival, the Cleveland Cavaliers don't need a third time around with LeBron James. | Ronald Martinez\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The second LeBron James era came at a high price for the Cleveland Cavaliers. From 2014\u201318, the Cavs played in four NBA Finals and won the 2016 NBA title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It cost them nearly $136 million in luxury tax payments, including topping the $50 million mark in 2015\u201316 and 2017\u201318 (because of repeater penalties).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Cavs have nine guaranteed contracts on the books for next season. They also have a $1.9 million option for Dean Wade. Lamar Stevens\u2019 $1.8 million deal for 2022\u201323 is non-guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If they extend an $8.6 million qualifying offer to Sexton, he will become a restricted free agent. Cleveland projects at $23.2 million below the luxury tax line next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>James has one year and $44.5 million remaining on the two-year extension he signed with the Lakers in December 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As much as everyone loves a homecoming story (or, in this case, a second homecoming tale), bringing back the 18-time All-Star in his age-38 season has two genuine downsides besides the tax implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, James\u2019 arrival focuses on him at the expense of the young core Cleveland developed. LeBron deserves every accolade he gets; that\u2019s not the point. But he\u2019s not on the same timeline as the group that Altman put together to bring the Cavs back to respectability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That brings us to the second problem. Bron-Bron is not shy about demanding teams cede to his personnel whims. Does Cleveland want to lose the young talent it accumulated to create James and his Superfriends? Especially considering how well it <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/lebron-james-subliminally-throws-lakers-front-office-under-the-bus\/\">worked out this season for LA<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LeBron James already disproved the adage. But this time around, you really can\u2019t go home again \u2026 again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Contract information courtesy of <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Spotrac<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/jalen-rose-says-cavs-give-lebron-james-best-chance-win-5th-title\/\">Jalen Rose Says Cavs Give LeBron James Best Chance to Win 5th Title<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LeBron James delivered the championship he promised the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's probably best for all concerned if he goes his way and the Cavs go theirs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":196,"featured_media":1485269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4848,4828],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.3 (Yoast SEO v22.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>LeBron James Open to a Cleveland Reunion, But the Cavs Aren&#039;t - Sports7<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read why the Cleveland Cavaliers would do themselves more harm than good if they opted in for a third time around with LeBron James.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/lebron-james-might-be-open-to-a-cleveland-reunion-but-the-cavs-arent\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"LeBron James Open to a Cleveland Reunion, But the Cavs Aren&#039;t - 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