LeBron James’ decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers may have shocked the NBA, but Cleveland seemed firmly in the mix before the four-time MVP made his final decision.
New details reveal that James held a private meeting with Cavaliers management in early July as he weighed his free-agent options.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that he was aware of the meeting but deliberately chose not to report it at the time because the information was shared confidentially.
“Now, you tell me Rich whether I’m right or wrong,” Charania asked Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul on the Game Over podcast. “Is it the Cavaliers front office team, Kobe Altman, Brandon Wilms, the Gilbert family, Grant Gilbert meeting with LeBron in Akron in early July?”
Paul seemed caught off guard by this revelation, replying, “Wait a minute, how did you know that?”
Charania later explained why the story was kept secret.
“In real time, the integrity aspect is more important than anything because this is what people from multiple backgrounds have told me privately,” Charania said. “Ethically, this is something that I cannot report.”
The previously undisclosed meeting confirmed that Cleveland has seriously explored the possibility of bringing James back to play for the team that helped him win the 2016 NBA championship.
Ultimately, however, James chose a different path, signing a two-year deal with the Sixers as Philadelphia reshuffled its roster.
Paul has previously said the 76ers were not initially viewed as a realistic destination before they acquired All-Star Jaylen Brown, a move that dramatically changed the team’s prospects for next season.
“I think Philly is going to inject some energy into him,” Rich Paul told ESPN this week. “Maybe we’ll get two [seasons]. Maybe we’ll get four. “
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