Right now it seems like LeBron James will play for the Miami Heat forever, winning title after title after title …
And if the Heat close out the Pacers on Wednesday night, it’ll seem even more that way — and the Heat will undoubtedly enter the NBA Finals as the favorite.
But what happens if they lose? What happens if the three-peat that denotes a dynasty fails to happen? Will LeBron be back for another go at it next season? Will Dwyane Wade? Will Chris Bosh?
The Miami Heat have a ton of unanswered questions facing them once this season ends in either failure or triumph. And if it is a failure — anything short of a third straight championship qualifies — there is going to be a lot of talk about LeBron possibly returning to Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent. You can bet your bottom dollar that there are folks in Cleveland in high-ranking organizational positions who feel the Cavs have a legit shot at bringing the prodigal son home. More on that possibility in our latest Mock Draft.
And if that possibility comes into play, it’ll deflect a lot of attention away from the No. 2 free agent out there, Carmelo Anthony, who is being encouraged by team president Phil Jackson to take less than the max from the Knicks in order to facilitate a rebuild through free agency in the summer of 2015.
(RELATED: The Top 25 Free Agents for Summer, 2014)
More on free agency in this video with CineSport’s Brian Clark.
Another Max contract for DWade? Does he have much left?
Can’t see LeBron leaving after this season.
Miami is a really, really strange situation with DWade and Bosh also having ETO’s after this season. The normal thing to do is to opt out and re-sign long term contracts. But since LeBron likely won’t opt out in July, his teammates seem obligated to do as LeBron does, and stay another year.
But if LeBron leaves after next year and get nothing in return, Heat will have a real difficult decision to make about Bosh and DWade.