Despite all of the new faces added to his team’s roster this offseason, it seems as though Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James is happy with the situation.
As most hoops fans know, James, who is entering his 15th season of service in the NBA, can become a free agent after the 2017-18 campaign. Some experts and analysts are already selling the farm, claiming that the three-time champion is destined to leave Northeast Ohio. However, Dwyane Wade, James’ long-time friend and reunited teammate, recently offered up a different stance on the King’s future in an interview Joe Vardon of cleveland.com. As it turns out, Wade says James is “in a great place.”
“I think he loves it here,” said Wade, who along with James and new general manager Koby Altman agreed to interviews with cleveland.com to preview the Cavs’ 2017-18 season, which begins Tuesday against the Boston Celtics.
“I could see his mood and being around these guys and everyone that’s here,” Wade continued. “Obviously we’ve gotta win ball games, everything’s gotta go right and we gotta stay together to continue to have that mood, but right now he’s in a great place.”
There were some who thought James might be a bit put-off by all of the offseason changes, such as former general manager David Griffin’s departure from the team and Kyrie Irving’s request for a trade. All of those rumblings seem to have been hearsay, though. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 Draft says “he was never frustrated.”
“I was never frustrated throughout the summer,” James said. “I don’t know where those reports came from. I was enjoying my summer with my family. So, I felt the organization was going to do what’s best for the organization. That’s their job, so, I wasn’t bothered at all.”
There is no doubt that James, who has been dealing with a turned ankle for most of the 2017 preseason, has played a crucial role in Cleveland’s recent success — both on and off the court. In his 74 games played for the Cavs last season, the former St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School standout posted some of the best statistical numbers of his career, averaging 26.4 points on 55 percent shooting from the field, 8.7 assists (career-high), 8.6 rebounds (career-high), and 1.2 steals in 37.8 minutes per outing.
Whether or not James will stay in Cleveland can only be speculated at this point. As of today, there are no experts on flat earth who know his true intentions. With such a talented roster, the Cavs should be a dominant force in the Eastern Conference for quite some time, which could make his final decision a bit easier. For now, though, let’s just enjoy the ride.
For those interested in showing support of James staying in Cleveland, 7th Floor Clothing in Akron, Ohio has the gear you need. Fans can read more about their “Stay Home 23” campaign here.
