For LeBron James, the pressure campaign is on.
What was expected to be a quiet offseason for the 40-year-old took a turn on Sunday when James opted-into the final year of his Lakers contract with veiled demands that L.A. makes moves to improve its roster.
James' agent, Rich Paul, released a statement Sunday morning explaining that his team wants to "evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career."
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"LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all," Paul said in a statement, curiously adding that James and his team "consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career."
The statement opened the door for a potential trade, though the number of championship contenders willing to make the moves to fit James into their plans is a major question mark. On Wednesday, a social media post by James fueled speculation that a return to the Cavaliers might be on his radar.
Here's a look at James' latest post and his history of cryptic posts.
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LeBron James 'Welcome home' hat
James has largely remained quiet since opting-in on Sunday, but his Instagram story Wednesday revealed he is golfing in a hat that reads, "Welcome home."
The Cleveland area is James' home. When he announced his return to the Cavaliers in 2014, he penned a Sports Illustrated article titled, "I'm coming home." Whether James' hat is just a funny coincidence, another signal to the Lakers to make a move or risk losing him or even a direct hint of a trade to come is unclear, but it wouldn't be the first time James has dropped a cryptic message on social media.
The possibility of a trade involving James still lingers, even if it's an unlikely scenario. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Wednesday that he has "unlocked the door" on the possibility of a deal.
Despite the buzz, the Cavaliers are "not that interested" in re-acquiring James, NBC Sports reports. Just adding James to a roster that already finished atop the Eastern Conference might be compelling, but Cleveland would have to move significant salary to fit the 40-year-old into the fold. That might mean that Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland, or some other combination of players, have to go.
Is it worth moving half of your core to chase one championship with a player who will be 41 in December? That's a question the Cavaliers would have to ask themselves if trading for James became a possibility.
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LeBron James' history of cryptic posts
James has a long history of making cryptic social media posts, but they don't often amount to much in terms of major change.
In 2015, James sent a not-so-subtle message toward new teammate Kevin Love, who was struggling to find his footing in Cleveland. "Stop trying to find a way to FIT-OUT and just FIT-IN," James wrote in a tweet.
Stop trying to find a way to FIT-OUT and just FIT-IN. Be apart of something special! Just my thoughts
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 8, 2015
In 2017, an Instagram posts of a clenched fist from the TV series "Arthur" led speculation to run wild about what might be frustrating James, but he never revealed the actual motivation behind the post other than telling reporters, "I like Arthur."
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When Kyrie Irving was traded by the Nets to the Mavericks shortly after James made a public pitch for the Lakers to bring his former teammate aboard, James tweeted, "Maybe It's Me." The tweet quickly became a meme.
Maybe It’s Me
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 6, 2023
A year later, James dropped an hourglass emoji eight days before the NBA's trade deadline. Despite rampant speculation that the post indicated he might want to be traded, there was no movement.
⌛️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 31, 2024
Even as recently as June, James posted a cryptic clip that hinted at retirement as part of an ad campaign. There was no expectation at the time that James was planning to retire.
If James' "welcome home" hat turns out to be more than just a coincidence or part of his pressure campaign against the Lakers, it would be the exception, not the rule, when it comes to cryptic posts from "The King."
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