There are still several months before the NBA offseason, but the next few days will likely have a huge impact on what happens to the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer.
According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, LeBron James is still looking for signs of commitment from team owner Dan Gilbert to try and win a championship this season. With the NBA trade deadline just days away, Gilbert and the Cavs front office have little time to prove to their star that they share similar interests.
“James wants to see the commitment to winning now from Gilbert,” Vardon wrote. “He wants to see players brought in via trade this week who will help the Cavs win this season, get back to the Finals, and challenge the Warriors (or, heck, the Rockets) for a title. He cares not their future contract situations.”
James’ desire to win now does not indicate that he plans to stick around in Cleveland past this season though. Vardon explained that the front office’s actions leading up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline will shed substantial light on how likely it thinks that James will remain a member of the Cavs past this season.
“In the coming days when (if) the Cavs make a move or two, pay close attention to the players they sound, those they receive in return, and their contracts,” he wrote. “It will tell a great deal about where Gilbert sees his franchise going, and in turn will dictate how James interprets Gilbert’s desire to keep him.”
This season has gone from bad to worse for the Cavs. While a second NBA championship in three years seems increasingly unlikely, it also is becoming clear that James leaving the Cavs for a second time in his career is a very real possibility.
