“We all know a year ago (was) magical, inspiring, all the words you can come up with”. He earned the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month a league-best three times in 2015-16 (February, March and April), as well as the Player of the Week award an NBA-high tying five times (weeks ending November 22, January 10, March 6, March 27 and April 3). The veteran swingman is looking for a million deal but the recent James signing could require some adjustments.
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Despite making only nine of his 24 attempts from the field and just one of his five three-point shots in the close-out win, James finished off a triple-double with the 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to go along with three blocked shots and two steals.
The 3-year deal keeps him off the open market until 2019, and certainly lifts a great deal of weight off the Cavs’ front office shoulders.
Lebron James is making good on his hometown-hero status, agreeing to a new deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and becoming the highest paid basketball player in the process. “I just can’t wait to get the group back together- the team, the franchise, more importantly, get everybody together, the fans”, he continued.
However, reports are saying that the Cleveland Cavaliers are doing everything they can to bring J.R. Smith back to the team’s roster for more than just another season. However, sources claim that both parties are confident that a deal will be reached soon. In that case, he’d be giving up about $1.5 million combined over the two seasons. James gets additional security – including the 2018-19 player option in the event league revenues fall short of projections and it’s larger than his maximum salary as a free agent – and benefits from the time value of money.
His performance against the Golden State Warriors was the stuff of legend.
Smith, a free agent, started 77 games for the Cavaliers last season.
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Still, he also took the occasion to exert some of his considerable influence on the Cavs organization: he wants his teammate J.R. Smith re-signed. However, if the collective bargaining agreement proves to be more lucrative than now, the 260-pound small forward can then opt out of his current deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers to command an even higher salary.
