LeBron James: Latest News, Rumors, Speculation on Star's Future with Cavaliers

Tim DanielsMar 31, 2016

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly remain confident superstar forward LeBron James will stay with the organization, but that outlook could change if the team falters in the playoffs.

Continue for updates.

James' Status Could Depend on Cavs' Playoff Results

Thursday, March 31

Zach Lowe of ESPN.com reported Tuesday that team officials acknowledge there's a "slight possibility" the Ohio native could have a change of heart if the Cavs don't make a deep postseason run. If he does stay, he could look to the front office to retool the roster around him once again.

Staying in Cleveland for the long haul seemed like a guarantee for James ever since he announced he was coming back to the Cavaliers in 2014 after winning two championships with the Miami Heat. He made it clear then that bringing a title to Northeast Ohio was his main goal, and the 31-year-old reiterated that burning desire last September, as noted by Matthew Florjancic of WKYC.

Even though the Cavs have gone on to accumulate the best record in the Eastern Conference heading into the stretch run of the regular season at 52-22, it's been a season of dysfunction.

The franchise fired head coach David Blatt in January and replaced him with assistant Tyronn Lue. Lowe and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported on Feb. 1 the team held a players-only meeting to get everybody on the same page.

Yet the focus on James' future has become more intense with each passing week. He holds a player option for next season, per Spotrac, which was a planned move in order to maximize his earning potential as the NBA's salary cap rises with an influx of new television money, as noted by Business Insider's Tony Manfred.

The downside for Cleveland is that it also gives James an opportunity to survey the free-agent landscape, even if the front office is currently confident he'll stay. He's still one of the league's top players, ranking fourth in player efficiency rating (27.09) and fifth in value added (617.7), per ESPN.com's Hollinger stats.

The potential of James' leaving exacerbates fears within the fanbase any time it's brought to the forefront. For example, the four-time MVP recently told Bleacher Report's Howard Beck he hopes to play alongside Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade someday: "I really hope that, before our career is over, we can all play together. At least one, maybe one or two seasons—me, Melo, D-Wade, CP—we can get a year in. I would actually take a pay cut to do that."

All told, it doesn't sound like the Cleveland brass is starting to push the panic button yet. But if the team isn't able to iron out the wrinkles of what's become a drama-filled campaign and the Cavs bow out early in the postseason, tensions will begin to rise considerably.

James would likely face an incredible amount of backlash if he left the Cavaliers again. That said, it would be difficult to blame him for seeing what opportunities are out there at a time when things in Cleveland aren't exactly running like a well-oiled machine.

It's a story that's going to generate a lot of attention as the summer approaches. Expect plenty of twists and turns along the way, especially if the team fails to reach expectations in the postseason.