LeBron James is not waiting for anyone, and gets backing from Shaquille O'Neal
In the US they claim: The veteran star is not waiting for a trade or a move by one of the candidates to sign him: "He has all the information." The former center claims that James is "not chasing a ring," is the Miami option less likely?
The saga of LeBron James' future continues to be at the center of attention in the NBA, as more than three weeks have passed since he parted ways with the Los Angeles Lakers and a decision on where he will play in the upcoming season has yet to be made.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, LeBron and his people are not waiting for another "domino" in the player market, and certainly not for an Anthony Davis trade, as has been claimed in recent days. "Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Minnesota - these are the teams. LeBron already has all the information he needs," said Charania. According to him, the decision will be based on a combination of personal happiness, a real chance to compete for the championship, and fit with the club's culture, rather than an attempt to dismantle rosters to add more stars.
Shaquille O'Neal also addressed the issue and argued that the criticism that LeBron is "chasing a ring" is unjustified:
"I'm sure he wants to get to a place where he has a real chance to win a championship. People call it chasing rings, but it's not. He's just defining his legacy."
In another interview, he estimated that the most suitable destinations are Miami, Golden State, and even Philadelphia. "When you get close to the end of your career, you realize you don't want to retire and say 'I wish I had done it differently.' In my opinion, he has two or three years left."
On the other hand, Yahoo writer Kevin O'Connor actually believes that Miami is not the likely destination. "I would be shocked if he signs there," he said, explaining that the Heat's current roster and the fact that LeBron is still undecided lead him to believe that this option is less realistic.
Someone who would like to see LeBron return to South Beach is popular journalist Bill Simmons, albeit for the opposite reasons. In his podcast, the Boston fan said he hopes to see James team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, because in his opinion it is a "terrible combination from a professional standpoint." "Miami fans and their media will be sure they are going to win a championship, and then it will be fun to watch it all crash," he quipped.
At the same time, analyst Brett Siegel from ClutchPoints estimated that LeBron is not thinking about retiring anytime soon at all. According to him, the star aims to complete at least 25 seasons in the NBA, so his next team may receive a commitment for two more years.
