LeBron to become free agent, reportedly holed up in 'Decision Cave' in Caribbean
LeBron James informed the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday that he is declining his player option to become a free agent, according to Cleveland.com and several other outlets.
James had an option for the 2018-19 season worth $35.6 million, which would have made him the second-highest paid player in the league. But he will seek a new contract with the Cavs or another team that will pay him even more.
This is the third time in four years that James has opted out of his contract with the Cavs, but his return to Cleveland isn’t as sure a thing as it was in the summers of 2015 and 2016.
Despite his decision to opt out, Cleveland is still firmly in the mix for James’ talents. The Cavs can offer James more money than anyone else, as teams can go over the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents.
LeBron's first year max salary for 2018-19 is now $35.4M based on the projected $101M cap (would have been $35.6M if he opted in).
Cleveland can still offer him a 5-year, $205M deal ($41M per year) while other teams can offer 4 years, $152M ($38M per year). https://t.co/CtERV32Mr9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 29, 2018
NBA free agency will officially begin Sunday so teams can’t start making their pitches to James until then.
As for where LeBron will be when he weighs all of his options, Brian Windhorst reports of something called the “Decision Cave.”
“He’s planning on having a meeting with his closest advisers and friends,” Windhorst said Friday morning on ESPN. “I believe, you know, he’s still in the Caribbean, and I believe that his friends have come there and they’re gonna huddle there. They have what they call the ‘Decision Cave.’
“His agent Rich Paul is in Los Angeles, he’s got other free agents that he’s got to deal with, but his closest friends will get together in the Decision Cave.”
Windhorst later clarified that the Decision Cave isn’t a literal cave and is just a figure of speech that James and his advisers used.
In today's edition of Aggregation Run Amok: no LeBron's group of family & advisors isn't going to a literal cave to discuss future. In '14 when hunkering down they jokingly called being in a decision cave. All detailed my book, Return of the King, available at fine book sellers
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 29, 2018
The Lakers, Rockets and 76ers are expected to be among the teams that James hears pitches from, in addition to the Cavaliers.
While the thought of James being pursued by other teams may make Cavs fans queasy, one member of the organization reportedly wouldn’t mind if James, once again, took his talents elsewhere.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said Friday that owner Dan Gilbert is hoping that James joins another team due to the friction between the two of them, which dates back to “The Letter.”
“According to a couple of owners I’ve spoken to and a few executives I’ve spoken to, Dan Gilbert is known for not being particularly fond of LeBron James,” Smith said. “He doesn’t mind the thought of LeBron James leaving at all. As a matter of fact, I had one executive tell me, ‘Excuse me, I can’t wait until he leaves, because I’ll get my team back.’ This is something Dan Gilbert has actually echoed.
“That is an exact quote from my sources that said that Dan Gilbert said that.”
While free agency starts Sunday, James is expected to take a couple of days to decide where he’ll play next. For now, fans can just speculate, or if truly bored, they can watch videos of James jumping off cliffs in the Caribbean.
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