Everyone can’t stop talking about what LeBron James will do in free agency despite the fact that his season isn’t even over. However, if James does depart Cleveland, it wouldn’t be the first time. James’ first go around with a super team was the famous not 6, not 7 group in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. With LeBron likely to leave Cleveland again following the 2018 season, Miami doesn’t figure to be a player this time around.
Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel has reported that he doesn’t believe Miami is even a realistic destination for LeBron:
“First, the Heat have no cap space. So the only way to create LeBron South Beach 2.0 would be a trade in June or a sign-and-trade in July. Somehow it is difficult to even conjure the possibility of, “Mr. Gilbert, it’s Mr. Riley on Line 2.”
“Getting beyond that (not that logic would allow for it even to get to that), the Heat would have to seemingly bundle every desirable asset in the void of draft picks. That would leave LeBron (and, again, there is an absurdity even to this level of formulation) arriving in the absence of, say, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow and Bam Adebayo, plus either Hassan Whiteside or Goran Dragic. In other words, less than he now has alongside Kevin Love and George Hill.”
Report: Miami Heat Think LeBron James Checked Out During 2014 NBA Finals
Kevin Durant two years ago and Gordon Hayward this past offseason both came to the conclusion that Miami really isn’t a sexy landing spot. It’s hard to wonder what in the world the Heat were thinking loading up their roster with ugly contracts. Tyler Johnson will make $19 million next year, James Johnson sits at $14.6, and Kelly Olynyk will earn $12.5. Everyone credits Pat Riley for being some sort of genius but this guy is just flat out dumb when you take a look at this roster.
