National Basketball Association

James says winning more important than money

Published Nov. 10, 2009 12:32 a.m. ET

foxsports

Not that the cash isn't nice.

James on Monday clarified a remark he made last week in which the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar said getting a maximum contract next summer isn't that important to him.

"Let's get this clear: I said the max contract doesn't mean more than winning," James said. "I didn't say, 'I don't need a max contract' or 'I'm not going to get a max contract.' All I'm saying is that winning is more important to me than money at the end of the day."

In New York for a game against the Knicks last week, James said "a max deal or anything like that doesn't really matter to me at the end of the day. It's all about winning for me."

That led to speculation that James, who can opt out of his contract with the Cavaliers after this season, would be willing to play somewhere for less than the league maximum.