LeBron James ended weeks of speculation Friday by signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he is expected to finish his NBA career.
Many Cleveland fans had hoped for one last homecoming. But sports commentator Terry Pluto noted James has reached free agency four times and has chosen Cleveland only once, returning in 2014. The other times, he chose Miami, the Los Angeles Lakers and now Philadelphia.
“He’s pretty unsentimental and steely eyed about where he wants to go and for whether it's to win or whatever reasons he has,” Pluto said.
For weeks, Cavaliers fans held out hope that LeBron James would return to Cleveland and help deliver another championship.
“I just thought the expectations were too high about what he would do if he came in here, that this is the missing piece and they would go win the title," Pluto said. "(James would) certainly be a significant upgrade, but, you know, it's not a given that a 41-year-old LeBron James and combining with the soon to be 37-year-old James Harden and some of those other players, you'll get you a championship."
Instead, Pluto said the Cavs were right not to sacrifice their future for a reunion.
“I really just hope that Cavs fans could get off of the, ‘Well, they should have done this to get LeBron or should have done that to get LeBron,’" Pluto said. "You don't tear your whole roster up to get a LeBron James at the age of 41. You just don't. I mean, I've heard people say, ‘Well, they should have traded Donovan Mitchell to do this, to get LeBron to do that.’ I'm like, please.'"
The Cavs had envisioned James filling their opening at small forward but will now have to find another solution.
“Especially since Dean Wade was one of their starters last year and he also signed with Philadelphia before they signed LeBron," Pluto said.
Despite missing out on James, Pluto believes Cleveland remains a legitimate contender.
“This team did go to the Eastern Conference finals last year (and) the core players (of) Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, Evan Mobley, Jared Allen, they're all back," Pluto said. "It's not as if, like when LeBron left in the past and the whole franchise would just kind of collapse for a few years."
Instead, he said the focus shifts to the Cavs' future.
“They need some of their younger players like Jaylon Tyson, who took a big step forward last year to take over as a small forward spot," Pluto said. "They also need a young player named Nae'Qwan Tomlin who has a potential to be a defender and a rebounder."
Pluto also pointed to second round draft pick Maleek Thomas.
“He went to the NBA summer league for Cleveland and averaged 28 points a game," Pluto said. "I watched four of the summer league games. This guy's ready to play in the NBA and contribute right now.”
Another reason for optimism, Pluto said, has received far less attention than James' free agency.
“Donovan Mitchell signed another extension to stay here ... the second one he signed and it was kind of greeted like with a yawn and ‘Oh, well, that's nice,'" Pluto said. "I mean, Donovan Mitchell is the second-best player in the history of this franchise. You talk about drama free. That's him. And he signed two extensions to stay. I think that's it. You want to talk about what they did this summer? Just getting that done is very important."
