Four years ago today, LeBron James went on national TV and announced that he was taking his talents to South Beach to join his friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
James opted out of his contract one week ago today and has been real quiet about things, with multiple sources are saying that he is choosing between the Cavaliers and the Heat.
James, who is considering a return to the team that he abandoned four years ago, had single-handily galvanized Cleveland and national media outlets, the last few days with hopes of his possible return,with the entire Northeast Ohio area waiting anxiously to hear the news.
Four years ago, fans in their wildest dreams would have never imagined that James is considering coming back to where it all started.
The Cavaliers have the best salary cap and flexibility to offer James a max-deal contract as they are working on their roster now.
With former big man Spencer Hawes expected to sign a new four-year $25 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and swingman C.J. Miles will be signing a four-year $18 million deal with the division rival Indiana Pacers on July 10, the first day free agents can sign contracts with new teams, Cleveland has room to sign James and build around him.
One question, does Dan Gilbert and Cleveland fans want him back?
Gilbert wants a championship in Cleveland and has rebuilt the franchise since James left. Gilbert withdrew his letter that he wrote in the past few days. That has to say something.
Gilbert will do whatever it takes to to get James back. The Cavs are pursuing him so this says something.
Will Cleveland fans accept him back? Right now there is only speculation whether he will return back to where it all started for him. There are just LeBron James fans out there that will follow him no matter what he team he plays on, and then the true Cavs fans and want him back.
Four years ago, Cleveland fans were angry and they burned his jerseys in effigy and got rid of all his stuff that had his name on it. To me, that was very immature.
I kept most of it and gave some of it away. I wasn’t too happy that he left. It was a business decision. It’s not that left but HOW he did it.
Here are the reasons that James should come back home
●James put Cleveland on the proverbial NBA map.
●He would increase the team’s value to where big-name free agents would want to play in Cleveland.
●James would bring in over $200 million in media and merchandising revenue.
●James would have the chance to add on to the many accomplishments with the Cavaliers, as he took the franchise to a whole other level from 2006-2010, when the Cavaliers appear in the post-season four straight times from 2006-2010 and one NBA Finals appearance.
●James is well-experienced in going to the NBA Finals four times, and alongside Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins take the Cavaliers back into playoffs and solidify a promising young nucleus of talent in Cleveland.
●If LeBron brings a NBA Championship to Cleveland, it would solidify his legacy as one of the all-time greats in NBA history.
The Cavaliers are a different team now in 2014 than when LeBron left four years ago, as Gilbert, has restructured the team. Gilbert has built it on young and talented players. Anderson Varejao is the only player that remains on the team since LeBron left.
A key piece of this is Irving.
Irving, who averages over 20 points per game and 5.8 assists, signed a four-year $96 million max deal with the Cavaliers. James, who averaged 27.1 points per game, 6.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists, would be the last piece that helps put Cleveland back on track in a relatively weak East.
James and Irving form a dynamic 1-2 duo to the Cavs that could bring new heights to the team and take them to a NBA championship.
Everyone will know on Thursday where James will sign, with fans anxiously awaiting his second decision, just as they did for his first, four years ago.
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