Carmelo Anthony has opted out of his contract with the New York Knicks. Is LeBron James next? All eyes now shift to Miami Heat's Big Three as James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh can follow in the guard's footsteps. There are at least five teams looking to make a push for James should he decide to opt out of his current contract and the Cleveland Cavaliers hope to be the frontrunners of the group.
James' wife fueled rumors of a potential return to Cleveland on Instagram. She posted a picture of Akron, Ohio with the caption. "Home sweet home!! The countdown is real! #330."Now this could really mean a number of things. The James family could easily be headed there for summer vacation, but with free agency right around the corner, many NBA sources are wondering if it is a hint to James's mindset about his future.
There is no clear-cut idea of what James plans on doing. Everything right now is speculation. Wade and Bosh are expected to remain in South Beach. Bosh has said multiple times that he intends on remaining in Miami for the remainder of his career. However, James is the question mark of the group. The Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls are all planning a big push to sign the forward, along with the Cavaliers. Does Cleveland have enough to bring their hometown hero back?
No matter what, the Cavaliers are a long shot to sign James. Yes, they have Kyrie Irving who is developing into an elite point guard. They also own the No. 1 draft pick which could be used for Andrew Wiggins or a trade piece for Kevin Love. However, outside of that, there is no reason to sign with Cleveland.
Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders believes the Cavaliers will not get James in free agency even if he departs Miami. He notes that Irving's injury history is not a good one. There is no guarantee that the player drafted No. 1 overall if ready to play right away next year. The Cavaliers might win the forward if they complete a trade for Love, but that too is a long shot considering the other teams that can present a better deal. James returning is certainly a feel-good story, but Cleveland simply lacks the roster that can contend over teams like the Rockets and Bulls.
