When the 2017-18 NBA season started, the Cleveland Cavaliers wanted LeBron James to make them a promise that he would return next season before they made major moves to improve the roster around him. LeBron refused to make that guarantee and refused to waive his no-trade clause, so the Cavaliers ignored free agents like Paul George and just brought in players like Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade while trading away their All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving for a defensive liability in Isaiah Thomas. However, now that the Cavs have made some big moves and set themselves up with a younger, exciting lineup, there is one NBA executive that believes LeBron will now stay with the Cavaliers after all next season.

What are LeBron James options in Cleveland?

LeBron James has been with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the last three seasons. Before that, he spent four years with the Miami Heat. He made it to the NBA Finals in every single one of those seasons, taking whatever team he played for with him. To say that the Cavs need LeBron to ensure future championships is obvious.

If LeBron James sticks with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018-19 NBA season, he will make around $35 million next season. However, James has a player option, meaning he can opt out of the contract, pass on the $35 million, and pick up a monster deal somewhere else -- with the Los Angeles Lakers as the most obvious landing spot.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have done what they can to make LeBron James understand that they still want to win.

They brought in young players that they control the futures of and James himself said the team looks very exciting. Is it enough to keep LeBron from heading out west?

LeBron James staying in Cleveland

One NBA Eastern Conference executive spoke to The Undefeated and said that he believes that LeBron James will stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers after all the moves that the Cavs made to improve their lineup with younger players.

The idea is that James could stick with Cleveland for one more season, taking his $35 million player option, and trying to win another title in Cleveland.

The executive, who remained anonymous, said that the Cleveland Cavaliers have suddenly built a really good team around LeBron James and it will make it very hard for him to decide to leave the Cavs now.

The Los Angeles Lakers have some talent, but they are nowhere close to competing while the Cavs can win it all now. Interestingly, the NBA executive said that the trade that the Lakers made with the Cavaliers is the one thing that could keep LeBron from going to L.A. next season.
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