"I don't want to go back": LeBron James' wife Savannah James candidly admits reluctance over his 2014 Cavs move
Having been with LeBron James since high school, Savannah James has stood beside the 20-time All-Star in each new journey he has gone through in the NBA. Over a decade removed from "The Decision," she recently shared her thoughts about returning to Cleveland.
Following the 2010 season, LeBron decided to part with the Cleveland Cavaliers and joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. The trio made it to the finals for four straight years and won the championship on two occasions.
In 2014, the Heat suffered defeat on the game's biggest stage against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. Upon hitting the free agent market again, the superstar forward shocked the world and returned to his hometown team.
During Tuesday's episode of her "Everybody's Crazy" podcast, LeBron James' wife Savannah talked about her husband re-signing with the Cavs. She admitted that during that moment it was not something that she wanted to do.
"[2:20] And then LeBron said I'm taking my talents back to Cleveland," Savannah said. "I'm like what, no, I don't want to go back. But, ya know, we did some big things in Cleveland."
Savannah also discussed the time when LeBron James and the Cavaliers took down the Golden State Warriors in 2016 and won the franchise's first title.
Breaking down LeBron James' move to return to Cavaliers in 2014
When LeBron James first left the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the main reasons was that the front office didn't build a contending-level roster around him. During the time he was with the Miami Heat, they managed to add key pieces and made South Beach a desirable destination.
After winning the draft lottery in 2011, the Cavs selected Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick. He quickly emerged as a star, and by the time LeBron returned, was already capable of being his running mate.
On top of drafting Irving, the Cavs made another move following James' return. They traded another No. 1 pick, Andrew Wiggins, to the Minnesota Timberwolves and acquired Kevin Love.
With a pair of All-Stars around him, LeBron finally had the talent to compete for a championship in Cleveland. The only downside was that there was a team in the West that ended up becoming a dynasty.
In the late 2010s, the Cavs and Warriors battled in the finals for four straight years. 2016 became the year James and his team broke through, as they came back from a 3-1 deficit in the finals.
After suffering another finals loss in 2018, James' second run with the Cavaliers came to an end. That summer, he moved to the Western Conference and signed with the LA Lakers in free agency.