Details of Kyrie Irving’s contract extension emerge
July 12, 2014Video: Skylar Grey re-writes “Coming Home” for Cleveland, LeBron
July 13, 2014Brian Windhorst of ESPN came out with the contract details for returning forward LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers this afternoon. James will sign just a two-year contract for $42.1 million with the option of opting out next summer.
The structure of this deal allows James to capitalize on the expected jump of the salary cap in the summer of 2016.
“Depending on how the new television contracts are put together, the salary cap is projected to leap to as high as $80 million in 2016. There is also uncertainty with the current collective bargaining agreement starting in 2017, another reason James wanted to keep his long-term options open when it comes to the structure of his contract.”
For those who are a little anxious about the length of this deal, I’ll say that it would be quite shocking after the beautiful words conveyed in James’s announcement for him to turn around and leave at any time in the near future. Just for reassurance, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal had this to say.
#Cavs operating under belief LeBron will most likely finish his career in Cleveland.
— Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) July 12, 2014
Windhorst added in the article that he is “fully committed to the Cavs long term”. With an incredibly young roster that has a long way to go before being a finished product, it would be beyond a head-scratcher for this to be anything but Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, agent Rich Paul, and James being on the exact same page when it comes to maximizing LeBron’s income potential and the Cavaliers’ chances for success.
Related: A monarchy restored, but the subjects never left
27 Comments
Given how much the franchise/league/sponsors earn off of his labor there is absolutely no problem with Lebron maximizing his earnings.
Can we get ESPN to sign a binding agreement saying they will treat this as the non-story it is next summer?
Hahahahahaha on ESPN part
I think we have Lebron until at least one title.
No one is allowed to freak out in the comment section about this. I FORBID IT! Nothing but smart business to see here.
no problem
Thanks, but for the record I wasn’t thinking about you when I wrote that. You’re entirely too reasonable.
I just filled my bowl with Cheerios, but have yet to pour the milk. Who’s going to be the commenter to piss in them?
H E L L O
et tu, Tim Couch Bear?
Here’s hoping it takes 5 years, lol.
it was an auto-correct. he meant J E L L O.
chocolate jello pudding in cheerios is delicious afterall.
Oh, well there’s always room for that.
http://floridahillbilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bill-jello_pudding.jpg
No worries. Sayeth the King just one day ago:
“I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there … We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that.”
He’s making a gazillion dollars for the franchise, Gilbert and everything connected. He should get the max as it increases, and with his biological clock ticking as the league’s dominant player he should keep Griffin on his toes and away from “asset accumulation mode.” Time for this team to benefit from front office competence and not just blind luck. They wasted LeBron 1.0 wih letting Boozer walk, Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall, yadda yadda. That cannot happen again.
From a basketball perspective, there is no way he just wastes 2 years of his prime to come back and leave again. The emotional Cleveland fan in me believes he wouldn’t have taken all that time with the letter either.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? I say it all depends on the team, situation. If you win one you want two just as bad and it makes no sense to leave after you finally win one at home.
For me this is exactly what I don’t want which is why I pursue KLove with almost as much verocity as I did LBJ. You want to win now, immediately, not a year or two and after watching Hardwood Classics from 2006 playoffs I want Love and I want him now!
The James camp is incredibly smart they’ve definitely learned.
Absolutely and if the Cavaliers can add a player the caliber of KLove while winning it’ll just strengthen the ties that bind. But even if they don’t land Love next year they have three first round picks and young talent which should only be improved if by only the presence of LBJ.
As long as Chris Broussard can “confirm” it. I had to laugh when ESPN refused to just let SI.com haee the credit but, instead, let it be known that Chris Broussard “confirmed” LeBron would be leaving Miami.
how stupid does Carlos Boozer feel NOW?? He’s gonna get freaking amnestied. Nobody wants this mope. And to think he coulda been someone. He could been a contender….
Definitely depends on August, but I don’t think he’s leave before one at this point is all
Did you enjoy? One of my favorites.
Boozer only cares for money which is the only thing he has
All sarcasm aside, I agree that if we can bring somebody like Love in we need to do it. He’s young enough that you can give up somebody young and talented and have it not be such a huge sacrifice. However, I suspect that the Wolves want enough in return thus far that it might actually hamper our ability to have a complete team.
I used honey nut cheerios and it was delicious. Seemed like eating dessert for breakfast though.
yes, that is the beauty of it 🙂