NBA Free Agent Odds – LeGone Again? Not Likely…

LeBron James is a free agent! If that statement has Knick fans raking the subway lines for every penny to throw at the four-time NBA MVP in hopes of ending their 42-year title drought, perhaps they should pump the brakes a bit. Unlike “King” James’ previous two forays into the free agent market, this one is expected to draw little buzz, simply because he’s almost sure to stay put.

James opted out of the final year of his two-year deal with Cleveland to become a UFA; but when free agency starts on July 1st, reports indicate his phone will be turned off. He will simply wait until the Cavaliers can work out extensions with their other FA targets, like Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, before signing another two-year, approx. $22-million deal with another opt-out clause for next summer (a summer tentatively titled, “Really? Even Zaza Pachulia is getting paid that much. Guys, these contracts are getting out of hand!”).

However, as much as we’d like to take LBJ at his word, we’re not ready to completely accept he’ll be a Cavalier next year (let alone for life). We’ve compiled a list of some of the ridiculous actions that could shove James into the waiting arms of another team.

Odds LBJ would leave Cleveland this off-season if:

• the Cavaliers fail to resign Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson – 50/1
• the Cavaliers succeed in signing Delonte West – 75/1
• David Blatt promises to be an even more “hands on coach” – 100/1
• owner Dan Gilbert pens another letter to the fans – 300/1
• Kevin Love threw him in the pool with his cellphone during their poolside meeting – 400/1
• Cleveland outlaws headbands – 500/1
• the Browns don’t immediately name his good buddy Johnny Manziel their starting QB – 750/1
• Michael Jordan states that only the “greatest of all time” could win a title with the current Charlotte Hornets roster – 1,000/1
• Bill Hader states that only the “greatest of all time” could win a title with the current Oklahoma City Thunder roster – 3,000/1
• Jack Nicholson promises to do a guest spot on the James-produced sitcom Survivor’s Remorse in return for signing with the Lakers – 5,000/1

(Photo credit: Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA (AAAA0584) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)