LeBron Says At This Point He Can't See Leaving Heat
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami Heat superstar LeBron James is preparing for a second half push towards a third-straight NBA championship with the Miami Heat and as of now, he doesn't see himself playing in any other city.
In an in-depth interview with NBA TV, LeBron revealed himself as the established superstar who is still working hard every day to improve his already stellar game and a devoted family man. But the part that caught most Heat fans' ears was when LeBron was asked about his pending free agency.
NBA Interviewer Steve Smith: "You win three in a row, a three-peat. When it's all said and done we know free agency is coming up. Can you picture yourself somewhere else?"
LeBron: ""At this point, I can't. At this point, I can't. We don't know what can happen from now to July, so what I've been able to do this whole season to this point is just worry about what's at hand and that's winning another championship. And hopefully at the end of this year, I can put myself in a position where I can hold that Larry O'Brien Trophy up once again and then I will assess what I have to do with my future after that."
James can opt-out of his current contract with the Miami Heat and become an unrestricted free agent this July. Most in the NBA expect LeBron to stay with Miami if Heat president Pat Riley can surround him with the talent needed to win more championships.
LeBron has avoided talking about his pending free agency all season and stay focused on the task at hand, getting back to the NBA Finals.
In the interview, James also talked about losing to the Dallas Mavericks during his first year with the Heat and how superstar Dwyane Wade made the future easier for the man nicknamed King James. LeBron said after spending two weeks in near isolation, Wade invited him to the Bahamas for a trip.
During the trip, Wade focused on James understanding that he was passing the proverbial torch to him to lead the Heat into the future.
"D-Wade was like, 'Man, in order for us to be great you have to be the guy.' We're talking about Wade County here. We're talking about the man who won a championship here, who's been a six-time All-Star, you want me to take the keys? And he said, 'Absolutely.'"
It's a story of two superstars who realized the sum of their parts were much better than as a single superstar. Since Wade stepped into a number two role, the Heat has won two straight NBA championships.
If the Heat can win a third straight this year and put together a solid core around LeBron heading into next year, it looks like the Heat may be able to keep the world's best basketball player in South Florida for a few more years to come.
