LeBron James Free Agency: 5 Reasons why LeBron James should re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer
Also read: 5 possible destinations for LeBron James
When all is said and done in the 2017-18 NBA season, only then can front offices devote their undivided attention to the team's long-term futures in the summer of 2018, the best player who could be a free agent this summer would undoubtedly be LeBron James.
While Kevin Durant would definitely be in with a shout for challenging LeBron for this title, it is all but a formality for Durant to sign another 2-3 year deal with the Golden State Warriors, thus removing him from the field for General Managers.
LeBron James has a player option for a salary in excess of $35 million for the 2018-19 season, but he could opt out of it for probably the last major payday of his career this offseason. A number of rumors linking various franchises to a heist of James in the summer have already emerged.
Here, we take a look at the top 5 reasons why these rumors are unfounded and why LeBron will stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers beyond the summer of 2018, whether or not he picks up his player option.
#5 He loves the city of Cleveland, and the love is reciprocated
LeBron is a man deeply attached to his roots in Ohio - he was born in Akron, a town just 40 miles from Cleveland. While 'The Decision' did not exactly go down well with NBA and Cavaliers fans alike, over a period of time fans did come to terms with the reason behind why LeBron chose to go to Miami and win his first title.
His decision to return to Cleveland in the 2014 offseason after making 4 straight NBA Finals and winning 2 championships brought back much of the fanbase that turned against him for leaving in 2010. Above all, his victory in the 2016 Finals gave Cleveland a major league sports trophy after a drought of 52 long years during which Ohio sports fans had to pass through long spells of irrelevance.
The LeBron James Family Foundation pledged a sum of $41 million in order to send thousands of underprivileged kids to college in 2016. LeBron James is fully committed to improving the lives of Ohio citizens, and staying in Cleveland would allow him to take this wonderful initiative forward with the greatest ease.