LeBron James’ playing days in Cleveland ended after seven years in a great deal of controversy (and hate from the Cleveland fans.) He could have been the biggest free-agent prize in the history of sports.
James said he was drawn to the Miami Heat by a pair of friends and his confidence the All-Star trio can win NBA championships, even though he could have made more money by staying with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James, Wade and Bosh won gold medals for the U.S. team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the three talked frequently before and during the free-agency period that began July 1.
“I think the major factor, the major reason, in my decision was to give me the best opportunity to win and to win now,†said James, who never won an NBA title during his seven seasons in Cleveland. “Winning is a huge thing for me.â€
Teams including the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls vied for the six-time All-Star, who could have signed a six-year contract worth about $128 million in Cleveland. He can get a maximum of about $99 million for five years in Miami.
Both Bosh and Wade reportedly signed contracts with the Heat that put them around $110 million each for the length of their contracts.
“There aren’t too many opportunities in a guy’s career where he has the ability to determine where he wants to play, particularly when a guy is in the prime of his career,” said Henry Thomas, the agent for both Wade and Bosh. “The contracts I did for Dwyane and Chris was designed to give them that flexibility at a time in their careers where I knew they’d be in their prime.
Before LeBron, Alex Rodriguez was probably the most coveted free agent ever. He later expressed regret over signing a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Rangers after the 2000 season.