If the Miami Heat aren’t able to rally back and win the 2014 NBA Finals, it won’t impact LeBron James‘ decision whether to opt in or out of his current contract and hit free agency.
What?
According to ESPN.com, James’ future will not hinge on the outcome of the NBA Finals. James has until the end of June to decide whether to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, but also has two champion rings to consider when making his decision.
The Miami Heat would have to make history to come back from a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit, but the future of their best player doesn’t hinge on that happening.
The Heat’s success or failure in these Finals will not affect LeBron James’ decision on whether to opt out of his contract by the end of this month, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
James and the Heat would be the first team in NBA Finals history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit and come back and win a title. This is the 32nd time the Finals have been 3-1 after four games.
So what will be a determining factor in James’ future?
Theoretically, the Heat’s roster beyond this season should be in play. On Friday, I outlined the decline of the Heat’s Big Three, arguing Dwyane Wade is a shell of his former self and Chris Bosh is ultimately too inconsistent. James could be better off finding a new cast of surrounding characters, perhaps in New York with Carmelo Anthony as his new Robin.
Obviously, Anthony’s decision is going to have some sort of impact. If he stays in New York, it could be attractive for James to head to the No. 1 media market to play along with another superstar in his prime. Also, he’d be playing with another NBA legend, Phil Jackson, in the front office.
Money, however, probably won’t be too much of an issue. James has earned quite a bit on the court, and he doesn’t do too bad off it either with his app and endorsements. James reportedly made $30 million just by Apple’s purchase of Beat Electronics. Plus, he showed when he took less to sign with the Heat that winning — not money — is the main goal.
