LeBron James is widely expected to opt out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and become a free agent, but it sounds like his decision-making process will be a lot different this summer than it was in the past.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports that LeBron has no intention of meeting with teams to hear “elaborate” pitches and presentations. While he may speak with owners and club officials from certain teams at some point, sources told Shelburne that James and his camp don’t feel they need powerpoint presentations and fancy meetings to make an informed decision this time around.
As we all remember, LeBron’s free agency courtship was about as flamboyant as it gets when he first left the Cavs in 2010. He has since admitted that “The Decision,” which was an actual special that aired on ESPN, was a mistake. When he became a free agent in 2014, LeBron met with only the Heat and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert in person. It’s unclear how many teams James is potentially interested in this time, but it sounds like the process will be much more similar to 2014 than 2010.
For what it’s worth, Shelburne notes that LeBron has not yet made a decision about whether or not to pick up his player option for the 2018-2019 season. It would be pretty shocking if he opts in for another year in Cleveland, but it apparently is not out of the question.
While Las Vegas oddsmakers have already made up their mind about where LeBron will play next season, it sounds like multiple teams remain in the mix.
