Home is where the heart is and for LeBron James, home is where a player belongs. With that said, the Cleveland Cavaliers should be considered heavy favorites to sign James this summer.
If LeBron James felt like Dwyane Wade belonged in Miami because that’s where his heart was, why wouldn’t the same logic apply to his own free agency decision?
Before James’ Cleveland Cavaliers faced off with Wade’s Miami Heat on Tuesday, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote a piece detailing the bond between James and Wade against the backdrop of their brief time as teammates in The Land.
As compelling of a read as it was, it didn’t lead me to a greater understanding of the relationship between the two best friends, one that’s well-chronicled. It did, however, lead me to a greater understanding of James.
One particular quotation that sticks out appears near the end of the piece, as McMenamin captures James’ bittersweet feelings about Wade’s departure from Cleveland.
"“I mean, I hated to see him go,” James told ESPN, adding that he has been in constant communication with Wade since the NBA draft combine in Chicago back in 2003. “I still do. I still do. So my emotions was mixed because that’s my guy and I didn’t want him to go, but, I mean, listen, I felt like that’s where he belongs. I felt like that’s where his heart has always been, even in the one year in Chicago.“I just felt like that’s where he belonged. I mean, you want to be as happy as you can when you’re in this profession, and I felt like Miami is the best place that creates happiness for him. So I hated to see him go, I wish he was still here, but I understand. That’s why there’s no hard feelings.”"
Dealt to the Heat just before the trade deadline, Wade had an up and down season that saw him fail to fit in as a starting shooting guard, excel as the backup point guard, comfort the face of the Cavs’ franchise in the wake of Kyrie Irving’s trade to Boston and question the whereabouts of the Cavaliers’ second-in-command.
He didn’t have to leave but in Miami he rebuilt Dade County into Wade County. He won three championships with the franchise on his way to becoming the most iconic player in franchise history.
Truth be told, he never wanted to leave the Miami Heat. He was more or less forced out as he searched for the money and respect he felt the Heat front office decided not to give him in the 2016 offseason.
Seeing how Wade’s short-lived stint with the Cavs went this season, surely James sees a parallel between his kingdom and Wade’s county.
The power and prestige they hold there. Their familiarity with the organization. The feeling that they’re ‘at home’.
James, born in 1984, has been in Northeast Ohio in every year except four. That means he’s spent the better part of 29 years where he is now.
The LeBron James Family Foundation he established is based in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, a city just 36 miles from Cleveland.
His $41 million scholarship seeks to help students attend the University of Akron.
That face @kingjames makes when he sees that The I PROMISE School has been approved by the Ohio Department of Education 😃 We’re moving full steam ahead to the first day of school! #WeAreFamily #IPS pic.twitter.com/rFtrBvUJXy
— LeBron James Family Foundation (@LJFamFoundation) March 21, 2018
The public school that was just approved by the Ohio Board of Education? Located in Akron.
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You’ve seen “330” tattooed on his forearm. 330 is Akron’s area code (Cleveland’s is 216).
James even has “AKRON” tattooed on his trapezoid.
This is a man who certainly identifies with the Northeast Ohio area and when you consider how much he says he’s “just a kid from Akron,” that’s even more clear.
All that said, if James leaves Cleveland to chase championships in Houston or play with young up-and-comers in Philadelphia or Los Angeles, where will his heart and mind be during the season.
In his down time, when he’s at home relaxing or rehabilitating his body, will his mind wander to the familiar tundra of Ohio? The place where he met his wife, discovered his gift and has changed so many lives by giving them opportunities to escape the struggles of poverty and the dangers of the street life?
If home is indeed where the heart is and where a player belongs, doesn’t he belong with the Cleveland Cavaliers?
With their ability to bring back this whole team next season (sans Jeff Green and Jose Calderon, who signed a minimum contract in the offseason and outplayed their contracts) and add a potential top-five pick in the NBA Draft (or trade for an All-Star on draft night with the draft pick), the team is set up to maximize James’ prime. The Cavaliers are still the team to beat in the East and younger than a Western Conference powerhouse like the Houston Rockets.
Truly, the Cavaliers have a great chance to re-sign James. Indeed, they could even be the favorites.
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