As the Miami Heat prepare for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, those interested in the NBA can’t help but think, is this the end of Miami’s Big 3? LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all have the option to opt out this coming summer. The general perception is that all three will opt out. A big domino in this equation, obviously, is what will LeBron do? If he does decide to return to Miami, most would assume Wade and Bosh would follow. However, let’s play the hypothetical game. What if King James decides to take his talents elsewhere? We here at Sports Politics have come up with three different scenarios that Mr. James could do this summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers have always done an exceptional job recruiting free agent talent. Excellence goes back to snagging the great Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers and nabbing Shaquille O’Neal of the Orlando Magic. The Lakers usually get what they want. However, these days, the Lakers are not a very attractive landing spot. They are coming off their worst season since moving to Los Angeles in 1961 and arguably their two best players, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, are 35 and 40 respectively. Still, it’s kind of hard to imagine the Lakers having back-to-back seasons like that. With a decent amount of salary cap space, interest from Kevin Love and the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, the Lakers could be a good landing spot for LeBron. Knowing that he could potentially receive a statue for his braces on LaLa is icing on the cake.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a bit in the doldrums since LeBron left them in the summer of 2010. They haven’t made the playoffs since he left and haven’t really come close to coming back to prominence. Although there is a classic saying from The Wizard Oz, “There’s no place like home.” There are some intriguing aspects to the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team. Kyrie Irving is one of the most exciting young guards in basketball, the jury is still out on Anthony Bennett, and the Cavs own the No. 1 overall pick again this season. Some have concluded that James would rather play Joel Embiid (Kansas) than Jabari Parker (Duke) or Andrew Wiggins (Kansas). Irving, LeBron and Embiid would make an impressive Big 3. The Cavaliers also have plenty of salary cap space, so LeBron would definitely be paid generously. Not to mention, they could bring in other seasoned vets to round out the roster. Could “The Decision Part II” involve the best player in the world returning to Cleveland? Only time will tell.
The time LeBron has spent with the Miami Heat has obviously done a lot for his career. He has won 2 MVPs and 2 NBA Finals championships since he brought his talent to South Beach in 2010. After this season, however, the future doesn’t look very bright for the Heat organization. With the second oldest roster in the league and a declining Dwyane Wade, things don’t look as rosy as they did 4 years ago. However, Pat Riley is one of the most respected front office executives in the NBA and has a track record of greatness. He joined the Big 3 remarkably, who’s to say he couldn’t rekindle the fire that fired up Heat fans a few years ago? He wouldn’t bet against the 7-time NBA champion coach/executive.
My personal opinion is that James will finally return to the Miami Heat. If they want to win their third charge and some beautiful weather, it’s hard to imagine James would ship from South Beach. It came as a surprise to some to see James leave Cleveland in the first place, so who knows? Either way, the NBA championship would be almost a no-brainer. With a stable front, this should be an interesting summer.