National Basketball Association

Report: LeBron James informs Cavs he will opt out

Published Jun. 28, 2015 3:51 p.m. ET

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By Vincent Frank

In the least surprising news of the weekend, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has reportedly notified the team that he plans to opt out of his contract and become a free agent.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was the first to report the news.

It’s not yet time for fans in Northeast Ohio to freak out. The expectation is still that James will return to the Cavaliers on another two-year contract with an early opt-out for next summer. That would allow the four-time NBA MVP to maximize his on-court earnings.

Though, as Windhorst noted, James wants to see how Cleveland addresses free agency before making a full commitment to return to the defending Eastern Conference champions.

While there is a remote possibility James tests the open market, especially after the drama that surrounded him during free agency last summer, this situation is different. The all-world forward has been in constant contact with Cleveland’s brass since the team lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals earlier this month. He seems committed to the team over the long term.

However, when we hear King James and free agency, it quickly becomes the No. 1 story around the NBA.

If you want to know why, just look at 2010 and 2014.

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