One could argue that LeBron James was at his absolute best during his days with the Miami Heat, at least from a physical standpoint. He played the best defense of his career while leading one of the best offenses in the league.
So, now that he's on a struggling team that's unlikely to even make the playoffs, and now that the Heat could also use another star, there have been some rumors around the league about a potential reunion.
As a matter of fact, an unnamed Eastern Conference GM recently stated that Pat Riley would even agree to deal with infamous superagent Rich Paul if that was what it took to get The King back to South Beach.
NBA Rumors: Miami Heat Wants LeBron James Reunion
(Transcript via Sean Deveney - Heavy)
"Eastern Conference GM: 'They’re in the right position to make a deal like that. It did not end great between them (when James left the Heat as a free agent in 2014), but the hatchet has been buried enough. There could be an issue with, if you get LeBron and you get Rich Paul and all the Klutch (Sports, James’ agency) stuff, that is not going to mix with Pat Riley in Miami. But if he wants to win in a place he likes being, the Heat would take him back.'"
There Are Some Hard Feelings Still
Nonetheless, The Athletic's David Aldridge believes that's not likely to happen at this point. Apparently, neither Riley nor LeBron have forgotten how bad things ended up for them when he left for the Cleveland Cavaliers:
"You can’t categorically rule out a reunion someday, given the Heat’s eternal win-at-all-costs philosophy. There is enough quality on the Heat roster to make a deal with the Lakers plausible," Aldridge wrote. "But it seems unlikely. The details of why and how James left the Heat to go back to the Cavs in 2014 have not been forgotten by either camp."
Truth be told, trading for LeBron at this point in his career is much more complicated than most fans tend to think. So, for now, all signs point toward him finishing his career with the purple and gold.
