Update June 9, 12:30 AM EST: Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James took a seat with about 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter Friday night, indicating he would not finish Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Golden State won its third NBA title in four years with a 108-85 victory.
James scored 23 points in a losing effort. The Cleveland crowd could be heard shouting “MVP” in the background as James went to the bench.
Original story: LeBron James has some tough choices to make after the 2018 NBA Finals.
James, 33, can sign as a free agent after July 1, or opt into a final season of his current Cleveland contract, the New York Times reports.
The odds that the Akron, Ohio, native will stay with Cleveland are tough.
The Cavaliers trail the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals 3-0, a lead that has never been overcome in the NBA.
During this season's playoffs, James accounted for nearly a third of his team's box-score statistics: points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots.
No player has contributed a higher share of his team’s playoff output.
The Akron native has a strong family base and runs a nonprofit organization called The LeBron James Family Foundation, which helps needy children in his hometown area.
Those ties may be enough to resist the opportunity to switch teams, but James’ numbers show he may be ready to move on.
He has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player four times (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013) and has been to the NBA All-Star Game every year since 2005.
Nicknamed “King James,” James has been named the NBA Finals MVP three times, in 2012, 2013 and 2016.
He is the youngest player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points.
As of June 2017 LeBron James' net worth is $86 million, according to Forbes magazine.
About the Author