Thankfully, there will be no third act for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers
By Chad Porto
The Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James are not getting back together.
If I quoted a Taylor Swift song, would I gain or lose credibility…Let’s not find out. Though, like two toxic exes finally agreeing to call it quits, it looks like LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will never get back together, and thank dog for that.
James has signed a new two-year deal, with a player optoin third-year, with the Lakers. The two years are worth $97.1 million. The deal will make him a free agent in 2024 unless he accepts his third-year player option. He’ll be 41 at the end of the contract should he take the player option.
The Cavs were rumored to both be interested and not interested in him, depending on the source, with Channing Frye of all people saying that James would return to Cleveland on a hometown discount.
Ha.
In every season but basketball-related, James re-signing in LA makes sense. His family is there, his businesses are there, and his life is there. Sure, the Lakers are going to be burnt-pizza-awful to watch over the next four seasons, but, hey, that’s not our problem.
The Cleveland Cavaliers needed to sever ties for good with LeBron James
For the Cavs, leaving James behind is necessary. His age, injury history, and legacy of non-commital have made him a risk that the Cavs can’t endure. The team isn’t just trying to compete right now, they’re also trying to develop talent.
A player like James negates development and forces teams to trade for guys he wants. Even if it’s short-sighted. See the Lakers for an example. Yes, they won a title with Anthony Davis, but now, would you rather have Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and Lonzo Ball, or Davis? Clearly, it’s the younger players.
That’s the situation the Cavs would’ve found themselves in, and thankfully, they decided against reshaping their roster in the hopes they would lance again land James in 2023.
I’m not in favor of acquiring mid-30-year-olds with injury histories. The past shows us that is a bad idea and yet, so many fans fall in love with the names of a player, they look past the issues they come with. Guys like James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and others come with not just off-the-court baggage but also injuries that are just getting worse.
James may still be a Top 10 or a Top 15 player at worse, but his body is breaking down, and his team’s play is suffering because of it. it’s best to push Darius Garland into the spotlight than reshape the roster for James’ return.
I like this corp of the team, and while a minor move or two is fine, making a major trade for an aging star hurts the Cavs. This isn’t a team that is about to age out of competing, this squad has a decade of competitive ability in it as it’s constructed.
Why ruin that for a name?