LeBron James's Returns To Cleveland; More NBA Free Agency Notes

LeBron James during his first stint in Cleveland
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LeBron James is heading back to Cleveland. 

Let that sink in.

After four seasons of winning basketball in Miami, four seasons of losing basketball in Cleveland, and four years of hatred in Cleveland, the best basketball player in the world is going home.

And I totally get it. When you read his announcement letter, he makes his reasons for going very clear. LeBron missed Cleveland and feels a responsibility to win and be there for Northeast Ohio. "My relationship with Northern Ohio is bigger than basketball." The part of the letter that most interests me is when he says, "Miami, for me, has almost been like college for other guys." That makes a lot of sense looking back at his time in Miami. LeBron had always lived in Northeast Ohio area and when he left he had to face adversity and live in a new environment. Remember, LeBron never went to college. This was probably as close to college as he will ever get and he needed to have an experience like that to reach the level he is on.

This is the best move for LeBron. He has a much brighter future in Cleveland. In Miami, the team was getting too old for LeBron to be confident that he can win not just a title in three years, but in this upcoming year. In Cleveland, he can be the leader, the unequivocal leader to this young team 

LeBron James and Kevin Love
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The questions around Cleveland are not done. Kevin Love is on the trade market and would Cleveland pull the trigger? The initial offer for Love is rumored to be Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, and a future first-round pick. However, this year's number one pick Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the key piece in the deal. This may be a bigger decision than signing LeBron. I would give up Wiggins for Love without a doubt. But, I am not as high as Wiggins as others and I believe Kevin Love is one of the top players in the league. Love is a double-double machine that can shoot a fantastic three-ball. I think a trio of LeBron, Irving, and Love would be a better "Big 3" then the LeBron, Wade, Bosh trio in their prime year. However, if I could get Love and keep Wiggins, I would. 

The next question is who does LeBron convince to join him in Cleveland. Ray Allen and Mike Miller have been rumored to join LeBron in Cleveland and both would be great choices. Not only are both experienced veterans that are great shooters, they will be great in the locker room. If Kevin Martin comes with Love to Cleveland he would be a great pick-up. Anthony Morrow would be a good fit as a sharpshooter. I think they will need another three and possibly a stretch four. 

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
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This may be LeBron's toughest season coming up. He will be taking a team with pretty much no playoff experience and will try to bring them to the promise land. However, I think that they can do definitely win the Eastern Conference championship and they have a legitimate chance to win the NBA Title. The projected starting line-up of Irving, Wiggins, LeBron, Tristen Thompson, and Anderson Varejeo is very good starting lineup. Irving is a superstar. Wiggins has a high celling, Thompson is a good, young power forward. Varejeo is also a good player,is the only remaining player from LeBron's last season in Cleveland, and are friends. If they get Love, then they have a perfect complement to LeBron. David Blatt, the rookie head coach of the Cavs, will not be an issue. He has been a great head coach in Europe and will be able to quickly adjust. It is now LeBron's time to shine as the leader of his hometown team and bring them title. 

More NBA Free Agency Notes

The most interesting division in the NBA is now the Central Division. Cleveland is now the most interesting team in the league. Chicago and Indiana are the biggest threats to the LeBron in the East. Detroit is an interesting team headlined by one of the most dymaic big men in the league in Andre Drummond. And Milwaukee has Jabari Parker, the best player in  the most recent draft.

Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard
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With LeBron out of Miami, it is widely believed that Chris Bosh is going to go to Houston. Bosh is still a great player and would be a great fit in Houston's core with James Harden and Dwight Howard. He would not have to guard the interior and would be given the opportunity to shoot a lot of jump shots. If they can also retain Chandler Parsons, they would have a tremendous amount of talent. That would be a very interesting and a top three team in the West. It would not surprise me if they would be considered the favorite in the West heading into next season. 

It is now reported that Carmelo Anthony has narrowed his choices to New York and Chicago. The Bulls would be the best choice to win championships and I have believed that since the beginning of free agency. The Knicks would give him a larger and longer contract then the Bulls would give him. 

I think Dwayne Wade goes back to Miami. Unlike LeBron and Bosh, he has stayed with one team, the Heat, for his whole career and he definitely feels close with Pat Riley and Mickey Arison. I also do not believe that there are many teams aggressively going after Wade. The only team that I think may be able to bring him out of Miami would be Chicago, just because Chicago is his hometown and he would not have to be a part of another rebuilding process.

How crazy would it be if in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, LeBron faces Miami and Wade in the first round, Carmelo led Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Houston with Bosh in the NBA Finals. That may be the most interesting playoffs ever.