“Party in the city where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn Welcome to Miami” Will Smith’s 1998 ode to South Beach is probably playing all day in LeBron James’ ear as the Los Angeles Lakers seem to be preparing for life after The King.
LeBron’s seven-year stint in La La Land isn’t as fruitful as the one he had in four years in Miami, where he won titles in 2012 and 2013. He did deliver a championship to the Purple & Gold in the 2020 bubble, but the franchise is in transition.
With Luka Dončić now the clear face of the Lakers, and management reportedly leaving LeBron out of key offseason talks—including the franchise’s $10-million sale to the Guggenheim Partners—James has reason to consider an exit.
Miami, meanwhile, remains a contender under head coach and our kababayan Erik Spoelstra, featuring a young core of Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, rookie standout Kel’el Ware, and new acquisition Norman Powell.
Plus, LeBron already knows Spoelstra’s system, which maximizes versatile playmakers, strong defensive schemes, and an over-abundance of 3-point shooting—with Herro and Powell expected to lead the charge from the land of plenty next season.
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Heat president Pat Riley has also long hinted he’d welcome LeBron back, even once famously hinting he’d leave a key under the doormat for LeBron. A return to Miami could serve as a storybook ending to one of basketball’s greatest careers.
If a trade materializes, expect Miami to prioritize keeping Adebayo and Herro, the latter is in the mold of Heat lifer Udonis Haslem, while the former is essentially the son Riley never had.
Potential trade packages for LeBron, who has a no-trade clause, could feature Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, either Jaime Jaquez or Nikola Jovic, and a couple of second-round picks to make the Lakers happy. Oh, by the way, Heat would also need to take Bronny in return.
However, given the Lakers’ financial flexibility, a buyout scenario might be cleaner—allowing LeBron to choose Miami without stripping the Heat’s roster (Bronny can be had to a second pick if that happens).
Despite turning 41 years old this coming Dec. 30, LeBron has aged like fine wine, and he’s arguably one of the Top 3 players in the NBA in my book—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is numero uno with Michael Jordan second.
In 70 regular games last season, LeBron averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game with a 51.3% field goal efficiency, plus a shooting clip of 37.6% from 3-point range.
It’s not far off from his career stats of 27 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per contest. He’s also a four-time champion (his other ‘ship came from his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers), four-time regular season MVP, and the NBA’s all-time scoring leader (he didn’t go to college, so he got a head start against Cap).
At the end of the day, LeBron is looking for a landing place where he can ride off into the sunset with a fifth championship in tow (or six if he decides to play in Season 24), and Miami is a familiar place with a roster built to win a championship now. In a weakened Eastern Conference, I would bet on them and then wait for the battered and bludgeoned team to emerge from the Western Conference.
LeBron’s versatility pairs naturally with Adebayo’s elite defense and playmaking. Ware’s size and rim protection, Powell’s scoring punch, and Herro’s perimeter shooting also give LeBron the spacing he thrives on. The Heat’s culture emphasizes conditioning and unselfishness, aligning perfectly with LeBron’s late-career priorities. Who knows, Bronny—having spent his formative years in South Beach—may even become a useful sub for the Heat and help the team to another Larry O’Brien trophy.
Riley did famously say there are championships in there’s misery when it comes to the NBA, and I bet The Godfather would rather have the latter than the former and would welcome his prodigal son to the fold in a heartbeat.
But then Smith suddenly smacks me across the cheek ala-Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, and we’re back to reality.