LeBron tweaks Trump as reports say he’s leaving Cleveland and its Trump-friendly owner
Cavaliers fans, you may need to get ready to start burning those jerseys and digging out the recipes for those urinal cakes you churned out with your hero’s face on them back in 2010: LeBron James is “100 percent” leaving Cleveland after the upcoming season, according to one reporter.
NBA reporter Chris Sheridan, who has covered the NBA for the Associated Press and ESPN and reported in 2014 before any other major media outlets that James was returning to Cleveland, said on Twitter on Wednesday that King James is definitely leaving Cleveland, where he helped the Cavs win their first NBA championship in 2016, after the 2018-2019 season.
NBA source said today: "This will be LeBron's final season in Cleveland. He is 100 percent leaving. Relationship with owners beyond repair."
— Chris Sheridan (@sheridanhoops) August 16, 2017
Many sources have reported on James’ dissatisfaction with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, which allegedly has been growing over time.
And beyond James’ rumored desire to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, his reported hopes of joining forces with some of his fellow NBA stars and friends and the possibility of expanding his media business empire in L.A., there may be political reasons for a Cleveland-LeBron split too. Sports Illustrated reports that Gilbert has a substantial history of support for President Donald Trump (who has called Gilbert “a great friend of mine”). Gilbert’s company, Quicken Loans, contributed $750,000 to the Trump inauguration effort, according to the Detroit Free Press, and was a key part of Cleveland’s successful bid to host the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Meanwhile, James, who has often taken stands on social issues, endorsed Trump’s rival, Hillary Clinton, before the 2016 election. More recently, he criticized the president on Twitter over the weekend after political violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, that many connected to Trump’s rhetoric and political positions.
It's sad what's going on in Charlottesville. Is this the direction our country is heading? Make America Great Again huh?! He said that♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 12, 2017
He also criticized the president at an event for his foundation at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio after the protests.
“I know there’s a lot of tragic things happening in Charlottesville,” James said. “I just want to speak on it right now. I have this platform and I’m somebody that has a voice of command and the only way for us to get better as a society and for us to get better as people is love. And that’s the only way we’re going to be able to conquer something as one. It’s not about the guy that’s the so-called president of the United States, or whatever the case.”
The complicated political dynamic between Gilbert and James was highlighted in a June 2016 article in an ESPN feature story. Gilbert raised eyebrows in June 2017 when he visited the White House and Trump along with the MLB champion Chicago Cubs.
This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 6:58 PM with the headline "LeBron tweaks Trump as reports say he’s leaving Cleveland and its Trump-friendly owner."