Kevin Love wants to be a Cav the rest of his career…with LeBron as his teammate
June 11, 2018Kevin Durant throws dig at LeBron while celebrating Warriors’ title
June 11, 2018Despite what some reporters may say, no one truly knows where LeBron James will be playing basketball next season. In fact, he may not even know at this point. The King is smart enough to use the right words and have a small enough circle that nothing really ever gets out from his camp. “The Decision” was never unveiled before it actually took place, the decision to return to the Cavs was never really revealed until his “I’m Coming Home” story on Sports Illustrated.
James is not only a great basketball player,1 but he is tremendous off the court as well. So great that no one really knows his whereabouts or his future unless he’s on the court or in the locker room. With all that said, there are a few players who are much closer to No. 23 than others. One of those is Dwyane Wade, who was in the same NBA Draft class as James before the two became teammates with the Miami Heat and for a short stint in Cleveland as well.
Although Wade doesn’t know where James will end up next season following his looming decision this summer, there’s one thing that the shooting guard does know about one of his best friends, both on and off the court: The decision will be based on his family and his lifestyle more than anything.
“For me, I don’t think it’s a basketball thing,” Wade told the Miami Herald’s Manny Navarro. “Obviously this year he’s shown he can get to the Finals no matter what the circumstances are. So I don’t really think for him the basketball decision is ‘Oh, let me go team up with three All-Stars.’ I think at this point in his life it’s more so of a lifestyle thing. Where is my family going to be the most comfortable at? Where am I going to be the happiest at? Because basketball-wise he’s so great, he can take along whoever.”
We all have to admit it's funny that—given how important LeBron James is to the city's psychology and economy and how much he's going to value his family's input—the future of Cleveland rests in the hands of a 13, 10, and 3 year old child.
— Kyle (@kcwelch330) June 9, 2018
Whether James returns to the shores of Lake Erie or not, the Cavaliers will likely look much different next season. Will Kevin Love still be donning the wine and gold once the 2018-19 season tips off? Will the No. 8 pick that the Cavs have be a Cavalier or will it be traded for an established veteran? Those questions, along with many, many more, are just a short list of questions, not even counting the one that involves the best player in the world.
The Cavs may not give the King the best chance to win multiple rings before he retires, but Cleveland may be where his family is the most comfortable, which is what he seems to care about the most. In the end, it is their true home. James has already proven that no matter how good the rest of the wine and gold may be, he will still lead them to the NBA Finals year in and year out while continuing his greatness. While we may not know until mid-July, No. 23 may decide that if his family is happiest in northeast Ohio, he will remain a Cavalier, no matter who may play alongside him.
- Editor’s note: THE Greatest Player. [↩]
