James says plan to end career with Cavs hasn’t changed
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — LeBron James said his previously stated intention to finish his career with the Cavaliers hasn’t changed, although he will decide on his future after this season.
James also nodded when asked directly during the team’s media day Monday if he intends to finish his career in Cleveland.
“And that’s why I sit up here today, still in this uniform, still ready to lead this franchise to a championship, put us in a position where we can be successful.”
The comments were his first publicly since the Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
James, 32, has a player’s option for next season worth $35.6 million. He has never exercised a player’s option in his previous contracts, so the odds are he’ll at least become a free agent for a few days.
“Anytime I’m able to be a free agent or my contract ends, I’ll approach that when the summer comes,” he said. “At the end of the day, I have a contract,
and I will fill out that obligation, which I’ve always done.
“And if you guys know me — I don’t know if you know me as much, but I’ve always handled it in the most businesslike way. And I will do that with my team, and we’ll handle that in the summertime, as we always have.”
James’ agent is Rich Paul. James could get a new contract worth $209 million from the Cavs next summer, or he could exercise his option.
Rumors swirled all summer that James might be eyeing a move to the Los Angeles Lakers next season.
James said Monday that he will not discuss his free agency frequently during the season because “I should be focused on what I need to do on a day- to- day basis to help this franchise compete for a championship.
“I think that’s what ( general manager) Koby (Altman) would want in the front office, and I think that’s what ( owner) Dan ( Gilbert) would want,” James said. “If that wasn’t the case, then they wouldn’t have made the deal that they made to bring in this group of talent, and made the deals to get D Rose ( Derrick Rose) here and get Jeff Green here and Jose Calderon and guys like that who have championshiplevel talent.”
James was asked about former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade possibly coming to Cleveland. Wade reportedly reached a buyout deal with the Chicago Bulls on Sunday and could clear waivers Wednesday.
“I would love to have D-Wade a part of this team,” James said. “I think he brings another championship pedigree, championship DNA. I think it would be great to have him here.”
One of James’ new teammates, guard Isaiah Thomas, said he has made progress with his hip injury, and the Cavaliers expect him to be playing games by January.
After doing little for months because of a hip injury that knocked him out of the playoffs for Boston in last season’s Eastern Conference finals against Cleveland, Thomas has increased his physical activity to the point that he’s running and shooting.
“Physically I’m in a good place. I’m making progress every day,” he said.