Much is being written in the media about LeBron James and what his intentions are as they pertain to his free agency status. Four years ago LeBron James took part in the spectacle known as “The Decision” where he used a television special to announce that he would be leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and joining the Miami Heat. The way in which he handled his free agency and decision were widely criticized by the media which hurt the image of the world’s best basketball player.
Now, four years later, James has exercised the early termination clause in his contract and is once again an unrestricted free agent. What remains to be seen is exactly what his intentions are. When he initially opted out of his contract along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh the belief was that the three of them were working together in an attempt to give the Miami Heat more financial flexibility moving forward. However since this initial report, sources have confirmed that James is seeking a full maximum contract. As the best player in the world he is clearly worth the maximum amount of money; however, by seeking such a contract it makes his intentions a little less clear.
In this year’s NBA Finals the Miami Heat were soundly defeated by the San Antonio Spurs. Despite possessing superior star power, the Heat was simply out-played by a deeper team with superior coaching. After their collapse it became readily apparent to everyone that if the Heat was going to be able to compete going forward the big 3 would be needing more help. But, if Lebron James is truly interested in helping the Heat to attract more players then why would he be demanding a maximum contract? In fact, reports state that the contract he is demanding is for only a two year deal. In other words, James wants to make as much money as possible while still retaining the ability to control where he plays in the near future. It is widely believed that James will sign another contract with Miami since leaving now would make him look like a mercenary without any loyalty. However, the fact that he is only willing to sign a two year contract makes is very clear that his loyalty is only guaranteed as long as he is happy.
Regardless of what the rest of the NBA thinks about James’ intentions and his free agency, one thing is certain: any team with even a remote chance of signing him will make an attempt to do so. Because of the transcendent nature of his talent he would transform just about any NBA franchise he joins into an instant title contender. Given his contract demands, and his desire to win championships, it is becoming increasingly clear that Lebron James values his goals above those of any team that he is associated with. When he first joined Miami he did so with the belief that they would use their superior talent to win multiple championships. While they have been wildly successful by any normal standard, the truth is that James is probably surprised at how difficult the path to glory has been. Odds are that Lebron James will sign with Miami once again, and in two years the world will once again wait to see where he plans to take his talents.
