NBA Finals MVP LeBron James could have made $24 million this year if he had decided to opt into the second year of his contract. However, he's decided to opt out and that means he will now become an unrestricted free agent. Don't fear Cavs fans because that doesn't mean he's actually intending to leave "The Land."
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"I love it here in Cleveland. I have no intentions of leaving," James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin during the Cavaliers' championship parade. "There are some technicalities to take care of I'll leave up to my agent. That's right from the horse's mouth."
If he does sign a max contract deal with multiple years on it, he could earn roughly $30 million per year. If he takes another one-year contract from the Cavs, he would make $27.5 million for next season. This is because the Cavs don't have salary-cap space and don't have James' full Bird rights, which limits the size of the raise he can get.
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While the Cavaliers have Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson under long-term contracts, role players Richard Jefferson and Timofey Mozgov are unrestricted free agents, and J.R. Smith exercised an option to become a free agent. Matthew Dellavedova is a restricted free agent.
James said during the Finals that he and the Cavaliers have learned quite a bit during their second stint together so him staying makes a whole lot of sense. With the pieces the Cavs have around James there's really no reason not to stay since he won't have to put a whole team on his back over the course of a season or postseason.
