Could the “Chosen One” return to his home team?
With the NBA Draft Lottery out of the way, all news can focus on the future—immediate and long-term—for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
They appear to be exploring all options, with reports surfacing that Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid, barring medical clearance coming off of back surgery, sits atop the Cavaliers’ draft board to recent rumblings that Cleveland has expressed interest in Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star power forward Kevin Love.
With a core that will include two-time All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, whatever direction they go, whether building with Embiid or one of the other can’t miss prospects atop this year’s draft (Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins), or making trades to acquire established star quality talent like Love, they are should be trending up after this offseason.
Cavaliers minority owner and multi-Grammy award winning R&B artist Usher Raymond is among many on the internet hoping to impress the former Cleveland superstar and Akron, Ohio native LeBron James.
Who said you don’t get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression? The Voice ✔ 1st Overall Pick ✔ #Cavs #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/qM3hmlFgcw
— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) May 21, 2014
Coincidentally for Usher, who hopes the Cavs’ recent run of draft luck and cap space will be enough to entice two-time NBA champion LeBron James to return, he also recently had a chance at a second first impression. After having coached the runner-up in season 4 of NBC’s The Voice, he took a year off during season 5 only to return and coach the season 6 winner, Josh Kaufman.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who has been following James since his days in Cleveland, he will be open to other options (outside of Miami), though there is one major caveat.
…What is clear is that when James looks at his menu of options next month he will focus on being with a team that is built to contend for championships right now. Not in two years. Not after new teammates get their first taste of the playoffs. Now.”
Perhaps, when all is said and done, Cleveland will have made enough moves to position themselves as one of, if not, the best championship caliber destinations for the Chosen One’s eventual return. Or, somehow, they manage to bungle things up, trade away this year’s top pick for a Kevin Love caliber talent without securing a contract extension, lose him and Irving (a 2015 RFA) to free agency and miss the boat on the King’s return altogether.
After drafting Bennett No.1 overall last summer, it would be hard to put anything past this team’s management group.
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Michael Brumagin writes the Tweet of the Day for SheridanHoops.com and is also a correspondent for BleacherReport.com. Follow @mbrumagin