NBA Rumors: LeBron James Will Stay With Cleveland Cavaliers, ‘Bleacher Report’ Predicts
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the middle of an incredibly difficult first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. It has been a long time since James has had trouble in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, but there are other things that are overshadowing the Cavaliers’ issues against Indiana.
What most fans are talking about is the fact that James is heading into free agency this offseason. Many believe that he will end up leaving Cleveland for the second time. If that were to happen, the entire city would be absolutely crushed.
Rumors have been flying about James leaving Cleveland for teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Philadelphia 76ers. Why James would leave the Cavaliers again is the question that many have been asking. Reasons range from his disagreements with owner Dan Gilbert about politics to simply chasing a championship.
According to Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, James will end up staying in Cleveland when everything is said and done.
Staying with the Cavaliers seems like a very logical choice for James. He practically runs the front office and playing in the Eastern Conference gives him the easiest chance at making it to the NBA Finals. Signing with the Rockets or Lakers would mean having to go through the Golden State Warriors every season.
Playing in Philadelphia may seem like an intriguing option for LeBron. Young pieces like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz might be a draw for an aging veteran like James who is searching for more help. Even though he is the best player in the world and in the league currently, James needs more help.
LeBron James has done it all for the Cavs through 4 games. pic.twitter.com/xgPLM6BGo9
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 23, 2018
Throughout the course of the regular season, James averaged 27.5 points per game to go along with 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game. James shot 54.2 percent from the field and knocked down 36.7 percent of his three-point attempts. Those numbers show exactly why many believe that James deserves to win the NBA MVP award this year.
Leaving Cleveland would be the end of the love affair that the city has for James. His departure the first time around resulted in many jerseys being burned and very rude homecomings for James when the Miami Heat would play in Cleveland. James would absolutely destroy his legacy in Cleveland by bailing on the Cavaliers once again.
All of that being said, James is going to be the most talked about player in the NBA this offseason. At 33 years of age, he may consider signing elsewhere to continue trying to win more rings before he retires. While he may consider leaving, it seems hard to believe that he would leave Cleveland a second time.
