Kevin Durant turned the NBA world on its head by bolting Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors, but don’t expect LeBron James to make a surprising move in the coming days.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, James’ camp has been telling teams he’s staying in Cleveland.
Teams are still calling to check on the unsigned LeBron James, but I’m told agent Rich Paul politely informs them James is staying a Cav
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 5, 2016
James, who willed the Cavaliers back from 3-1 down to win the NBA Finals, declined his player option for the 2016-17 season. The move was driven all by financials, as the NBA salary cap skyrocketed to $94 million for next season. By opting out of his deal, James can cash in with a short-term deal now and cash in again once the cap makes another jump in coming seasons.
Teams may think they can pry James from Cleveland, but there’s been zero indication that the Finals MVP is thinking about leaving the Cavs.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently said he expects James to sign another one-year deal with a player option for the second year:
Windhorst: I believe LeBron will sign another one year deal with the #Cavs. That sets him up for a big contract next summer.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 29, 2016
James is a free agent, but in title only. It seems only a matter of time before he re-signs with the Cavaliers.