Reasons LeBron James Will Go Back to Cleveland
Why King James would rejoin the Cavaliers.
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Why King James Would Rejoin the Cavaliers - From fans to former players and the media, there seems to be a healthy contingent of people who believe that LeBron James will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Akron, Ohio, native spent the first seven years of his NBA career as the Cavs' franchise player. NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley even chimed in on the topic, stating that King James should return to the Cavs. "I hope he goes back to Cleveland," Barkely told ESPN. "Those fans in Miami are not real fans, those fans in Cleveland are real fans. I've always hoped he would go back to Cleveland. That would be a great way to finish his career." Taking the possibility to heart, BET.com offers some possibilites that would lead to a homecoming for King James.
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Miami Heat Fail to Win NBA Championship - It took LeBron James nine full years in the NBA before winning his first NBA championship. Now, that he has two rings, he only has the hunger for more. But if his Miami Heat fail to pull off the three-peat or, worse, don't even make it to the NBA Finals this year, one's got to think that James's mind will be racing about his next move. James can opt out of his Miami deal before June 30, six months before he turns 30 on December 30. If he exercised that right, it would shake the NBA and definitely keep Cleveland hopeful. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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Reversing 'The Decision' - In retrospect, James admitted that the 2010 one-hour ESPN special, dubbed "The Decision," where he announced he was taking his talents to South Beach — and in the process publicly ripped out the heart of Cleveland — was done in poor taste. However, in February 2012, James said he wouldn't rule out a return to the Cavaliers. “It would be fun to play in front of these fans again," James told CBS in Cleveland two years back. "I had a lot of fun times [during] my seven years here. You can’t predict the future and hopefully I continue to stay healthy. I’m here as a Miami Heat player and I am happy where I am at now, but I don’t rule that out in any sense and if I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me.” Maybe LeBron can do a new one-hour special called, "The Reverse Decision" or "The Re-Dedication.&...
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Simply Coming Home - An Akron, Ohio native, LeBron James may simply want to return home. Think about it — his move to Miami got him two rings already and possibly a third if the Heat wins this year. James's time in Miami has been great, but there's nothing like home cooking in the state you're from. (Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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Wanting to Win an NBA Title for Cleveland - Although LeBron James delivered a plethora of memorable moments during his seven years in Cleveland, he was never able to win an NBA title. The championship-deprived city has to go back to the 1964 Cleveland Browns as the last time they savored a sports title. The motivation to deliver Cleveland a championship alone is good enough reason to rejoin the Cavs. Do it for the city, LeBron. (Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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Heat Doesn't Have Adequate Support - Let's keep it funky — the majority of the Miami Heat's salary cap is tied up between its Big 3 of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. While they remain three of the best players in the world, they're also getting older and racking up mileage on their bodies with the consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. A failure to haul in another championship this season may trigger LeBron into taking a long hard look at the Heat's role players to see if another title run is realistic. Without the support he needs, James may just bounce from South Beach back to Cleveland. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Dwyane Wade's Health - Dwyane Wade was a huge reason in getting LeBron James to come to Miami, and he could also be a main reason for him leaving the Heat. At 32, D. Wade has plenty of basketball miles on him and it's taking a toll on his wheels, having battled against knee injuries for most of his career. With each season that passes, it seems like James has to shoulder a bigger load. Making matters more complicated is that Wade is due $42 million over the next two seasons, signaling little wiggle room for the Heat to bring in supporting talent. Like James, Wade and Bosh can opt out of their contracts at the end of this season, and Wade already said that the three have to sit down to discuss their futures. During that talk, the three might decide that they're happy with their Miami run and are willing to move on. Such a scenario would re-open a path back to Cleveland for LeBron.(...
Photo By Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images