Cleveland Cavaliers fans were never meant to see LeBron James in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey. At some point, the multi-versal lines got crossed, and now Cleveland must live with that cosmic mix up.
Regardless of how James ended up with the Sixers, he is now there, and the Cavs must live on. After a disappointing offseason campaign to re-sign James, his denial of a second homecoming serves as fuel for the Cavaliers to exceed expectations this season and prove his decision was wrong.
That fuel to win was just ignited on opening night. James faced off with the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden, taking on the reigning NBA Champions. As the Knicks were rewarded their NBA Finals rings, James and the Sixers quietly watched and waited a chance to spoil their celebration.
Cavaliers should be fired up by LeBron James
That celebration should set the Cavaliers ablaze. One of the many James-centric narratives offseason focused on his desire to have joined the Knicks and finish his career in MSG, but New York's championship ruined that dream to avoid a negative perception of James' arrival in the Big Apple.
Had the Cavs won game one of the Eastern Conference Finals, perhaps they would have gained momentum to win the series and represent the conference in the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Perhaps the Cavaliers played a role in James' eventual deal with the Sixers.
The "What If" story means nothing, though, because the Knicks' winning did not bring LeBron to Cleveland. It sent him to another conference rival.
Cavaliers were never LeBron James' first choice
For a time, it seemed almost obvious that James would come back to the Cavs for a final run in his hometown. The Cavaliers have been real contenders for the last four years but have never made it to the promised land. James returning to end his career a hometown hero once again seemed like a perfect bookend chapter.
However, James never held the Cavs as his first option. It was New York, the same team who ended the Cavs' season, who were his dream destination. At best, the Cavaliers ended the offseason as the tertiary choice behind the Knicks and Philly.
Watching James watch the Knicks celebrate a championship without him should drive the Cavaliers to give LeBron that same silent courtside longing 12 months from now. With the additions of Peyton Watson, Meleek Thomas and Mario Hezonja, the Cavaliers are uniquely positioned to surprise the Eastern Conference with a new mix of wing depth, size, athelticism and versatility.
As the Knicks' championship banner rose, it signified the reason James was on the other side of that ceremony. Had New York fell to the Spurs, James would have chosen New York. Philly was the backup plan. Cleveland was left in the dust.
Winning the NBA Finals not only would catapult the Cavs back into the NBA's limelight, but it would give James another opening night heartbreak. It would send a reminder that Cleveland is not a third-choice franchise. Joining perennial All-Star Donovan Mitchell and former MVP James Harden is not a backup plan.
Alongside being the greatest basketball player to live, James is undoubtedly a man of narratives. His storylines in Miami, his return to Cleveland, his desire to play for the Showtime Lakers - all of these are reminders of his knowledge that being a basketball legend is more than just the game. Cleveland can give him one more truly unforgettable storyline by winning the title without him the same season he rejected them.
LeBron is not and never should be a villain in Cleveland after his return in 2014. He brought the Cavaliers the franchise's sole title, but the pang of rejection should still linger and motivate the Cavs to prove James' decision to place the Knicks and Sixers above them wrong.
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