Recent rumors and reporting around LeBron James' free agency suggests the 41-year-old could be headed back to the Eastern Conference, leaving the Golden State Warriors out in the cold despite their strong pursuit of the four-time MVP in recent weeks.
A blockbuster reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat is understandable given his history with both franchises, but James is still likely to regret ignoring the Warriors if that's the path he ultimately chooses.
LeBron James could regret heading back to Eastern Conference
James has spoken about his desire for happiness and the importance of family in this free agency decision, elements that the Warriors can still deliver in a way the Cavaliers and Heat simply can't.
Golden State offer closer proximity to his family to be able to travel back and forth, something they've used in their pitch to James from well before his confirmed departure from the Los Angeles Lakers at the start of the month.
But the on-court aspect still provides another reason for potential regret, with ESPN insiders Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon outlining the fit concerns for James at both the Cavaliers and the Heat during the most recent episode of The Hoop Collective.
“I don't see him playing with Donovan (Mitchell) and (James) Harden as being a clean fit. Of course, he can do it. I just don't see that clean fit," Windhorst said while referencing the fact James is leaving a situation in the Lakers with two ball-dominant guards.
Windhorst and MacMahon also alluded to the lack of shooting in Miami, and the fact recently-acquired 2x MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is also a player who needs the ball in hands to be most effective.
“I think there will be some fit things that would have to be figured out there," MacMahon said of James joining the Heat.
Warriors can offer better on-court fit playing alongside Stephen Curry
James would be able to have the ball in his hands primarily at the Warriors, with Stephen Curry's willingness to play off the ball, combined with his shooting, making him one of the most unguardable players in NBA history.
Within Steve Kerr and Golden State's system, there's not going to be too many plays where James is simply sitting in the corner watching things unfold. The same can't be said in Cleveland where he might have to watch Harden or Mitchell dribble the air out of the ball for 15-20 seconds, or in Miami where Antetokounmpo wants to play the James role of driving downhill with shooters all around him.
James heading back to the Cavaliers or Heat would be nostalgic, but is it really going to offer up the on and off-court 'happiness' that's been so regularly mentioned? As much as seeing James in a Warrior jersey might still be a foreign and despicable idea to many, this could prove a missed opportunity he comes to regret should he choose the Cavaliers or Heat instead.
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