I'm Calling It: 2014 LeBron Goes Back to Cleveland

[ihoopallday]

It's easier to get star players to come to Miami than Cleveland. Pat Riley and Mitch are on another level when it comes to bringing in talent. Dan Gilbert just couldn't get it done.

[DukeDelonte13]

90% chance LeBron opts out, only to resign with Miami to a 5 year max deal. Dude cleary is lovin South FL life. And he has grown pretty tight with Riley and Micky Arison.

Windhorst just did an interview where he said how much moving to miami made lebron realize how much he liked NE Ohio. He still lives here in the off season.

Do i think Lebron will come back? Nope.

[DukeDelonte13]

It's easier to get star players to come to Miami than Cleveland. Pat Riley and Mitch are on another level when it comes to bringing in talent. Dan Gilbert just couldn't get it done.

It's easier to get big name free agents when your star is committed to your team. If Lebron would have committed we probably would have gotten somebody. Players didn't wanna sign because nobody knew what Lebron was going to do.

[cavsfanatic]

it depends on how good Kyrie, Waiters, and Tristan are. We'll be picking lottery again this year and I expect to go after sf, or c. If Kryie is as good as us Cavs fans hope and the rest are decent, then I can see it. I be telling everybody he coming back in 2 years anyway

[chips93]

LeBron has always felt like a mercenary in Miami to me. He's not a "heat" player. He just h happens to play for the heat. He'll be there while things are great, but I don't see the connection to stay there when better options exist.

do you have any actually facts to back up your 'feeling' that lebron is only a mercenary?

if i have a 'feeling' that blake griffin will sign for the cavs, is there any reason others should believe me, and think griffin will come to cleveland?

i need more proof, than a 'feeling'

[Shade8780]

Seriously....

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=255389

[bluechox2]

bron and dwight in LA

[TheFan]

I don't see him ending his career with Miami... but i don't see him back with with Cleveland either...

[greymatter]

Howard will forever be vilified in Orlando for being a flip-flopping drama queen. Tmac quit on Orlando, then Houston. Why would anyone actually think that a person who quits on his franchise would actually be welcomed back?

Too many posters here conflate "bold" predictions with "stupid" ones.

[outbreak]

Didn't Lebron say numerous times to reporters last season that he would love to finish his career in Cleveland? And that he feels he didn't finish things well there and wants a second chance? And that he feels bad about how he left his hometown fans and still wants to stick to his promise of bringing them a championship? I don't think Lebron returning to Cleveland is a far fetched as everyone thinks. At the same time I don't think there's any conspiracy theory going on, just Lebron maturing and realising he made a douchebag move with how he handled his free agency and how he notified Cleveland about his decision to leave.

[che guevara]

There's a very good chance Lebron stays in Miami, in two years there he's had far more success than he had in 7 years in Cleveland. Management there has proven to be competent at a bare minimum (something Cleveland's management was NOT), and based on what they did this offseason, it looks like they know what the **** they're doing. If I was Lebron, I'd be pretty confident that the organization would surround me with at least a decent supporting cast at all times.

[outbreak]

There's a very good chance Lebron stays in Miami, in two years there he's had far more success than he had in 7 years in Cleveland. Management there has proven to be competent at a bare minimum (something Cleveland's management was NOT), and based on what they did this offseason, it looks like they know what the **** they're doing. If I was Lebron, I'd be pretty confident that the organization would surround me with at least a decent supporting cast at all times.

The issue would be that if he gets another ring with Miami, all pressure if off for him to win another ring with the Heat, the big mark on his legacy and in his home town is how he left them which he himself has acknowledged he wants to go back and do right

[sixer6ad]

There's a very good chance Lebron stays in Miami, in two years there he's had far more success than he had in 7 years in Cleveland. Management there has proven to be competent at a bare minimum (something Cleveland's management was NOT), and based on what they did this offseason, it looks like they know what the **** they're doing. If I was Lebron, I'd be pretty confident that the organization would surround me with at least a decent supporting cast at all times.

If success begins and ends with a title, then yes, you're right. If success includes things like league respect, fan appreciation, fans in attendance, team chemistry, love from a city, etc. and on and on and on, then that changes things. He's done 1 single thing in Miami that he didn't in Cleveland - win a title. In Cleveland - Get to the Finals - check. MVP - check. Best record in the league - check. SNL appearance - check. All-Star MVP - check. GQ cover - check.

He left for a better city; everyone knows that. It's an amazing weather city and night life city and gadzillions times better than Cleveland. What cracks me up is that so many act like he has all of these things now that he didn't have when he was here. He has 1 - AND (please read carefully) - IT'S A BIG ONE. IT'S THE BIGGEST ONE. That still doesn't mean his life and career sucked when he was here or that it's THAT much better now.

That being said, his next stop is NY. I think he has to try MSG before he retires. What a difference that would be from going to the worst home crowd in the NBA to the most insane.

[EnoughSaid]

I see Miami winning 2 more before LeBron's, Bosh's and Wade's contracts are all up. If LeBron wins 3 championships, he's staying and not going anywhere. A 30-31 year old LeBron is still going to be the best player in the league.

[G-train]

As someone mentioned, if other players leave/retire, they can sign new ones. Riley has the runs on the board with that.