Cavs may not make big free agent pitch to LeBron James

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 07: LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the Golden State Warriors addresses the media during practice and media availability as part of the 2018 NBA Finals on June 07, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

LeBron James may go elsewhere this summer, and the Cleveland Cavaliers may realize they have no control over it.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are down 3-0 to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, and they could be eliminated Friday night. So rumors on the future of LeBron James have already started, with his ability to opt-out of his contract.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets are among the rumored potential destinations for James. Staying in Cleveland is of course also an option, and the Cavaliers have selling points along with no real control over the decision James makes.

During an appearance on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic said the Cavaliers may be “beyond” making a big pitch to James once the offseason starts.

"Frankly I think they’re beyond that,” Lloyd said when he was asked about the effort the Cavs will make to pitch James. “I don’t think there’s gonna be some big sell this summer, I really don’t. I think it’s gonna be ‘You wanna come back or not? This is home, you know we’ll spend money, do you wanna do this or not?’ And I think it’s gonna be that simple."

The Cavaliers have the hometown angle for James, but he also delivered on a promise to bring a title to Cleveland. A decision to leave this summer would not come with the same backlash of “taking his talents to South Beach” back in 2010.

The Cavaliers have taken shape in every way James wanted since he came back, as the franchise has catered to him at every turn. He has a coach he wanted in Tyronn Lue, with a core of supporting pieces he wanted to play with and the team overpaid to keep (Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, etc.).

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Beyond who they get with the eighth overall pick in the draft later this month, the Cavaliers have nothing new to offer James and they know it. If he wants to leave again he will, plain and simple.

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