Late Tuesday night, the Heat made national news for all the wrong reasons.
In advance of LeBron James’s free agency decision, which could see him, once again, take his talents to South Beach, the team’s social media outfit worked up a placeholder introductory presser live stream for its YouTube channel, a move that isn’t shocking in and of itself, especially when done behind closed doors.
But things got worse when someone (and thoughts and prayers to whoever it was) accidentally posted that draft for all the world to see—and with a title dated July 27. The result? A social media firestorm wherein basketball fans were convinced that Miami had just leaked Bron’s long-awaited decision, which they’ve been waiting on since the 41-year-old announced his intent to hit the market back in late June. Notably, the Heat one of the teams to which he has been linked.
Miami has since deleted the post, which the team says was mistakenly shared in preparation in the event of a James signing. But that explanation probably won’t satisfy the real conspiracy theorists.
It is entirely possible that James signs with the Heat when this is all done, and that the social media department was nonetheless telling the truth when it said it mistakenly posted the video. It is also, of course, possible that the team’s mistake was in tipping its hand ahead of time, and that it actually did know days in advance that the King was heading back to the Sunshine State.
But that latter outcome is far, far less likely, in my opinion. And there are a few reasons why.
1. LeBron James’s team didn’t leak his original “decision” early
For one, I would argue that LeBron’s decision at this point in his career has the same weight as his first “Decision,” when he controversially ditched the Cavaliers to chase rings in Miami; this time, the King is choosing where he would like to end his illustrious career, which has just as much (if not more) weight than that initial pivot. With that in mind, I imagine he would treat the matter with the same confidentiality as he did in 2010, when even his hometown Cavs weren’t made aware of his departure until the last possible second. (Agent and business partner Rich Paul called the team just moments before the announcement.)
If James has successfully kept this type of thing under wraps until the last possible moment before—and much earlier in his career, at that—it seems unlikely that he would blow his cover at this stage.
Moreover, let’s say James does choose South Beach, and it’s a shock to all—the team might only have seconds to prepare their channels. Getting ahead of it seems wise enough, even if things turned suspect in this instance. (And, not for nothing, I highly, highly doubt that the social media team was clued into any serious discussions about the matter.)
2. Paul, James’s longtime agent, told ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show just hours before the mishap that no decision had been made
“Just have a little patience with him,” Paul said earlier Tuesday. “Obviously, it’s his choice. … This is a very important choice for him, and you cannot rush it. I think he’s earned the right to not be rushed.”
The agent made a similar statement Monday, speaking on his Game Over podcast, “We’re not going to be rushed. It’s his choice to make, and when he makes the choice, he’ll make it.”
“I don’t know when his choice is going to be made,” he added. “It could be 48 seconds, it could be 48 minutes, I don’t know. Again, you can’t make somebody know something they don’t know.”
Could Paul be lying to cover his friend’s butt? Absolutely! But if that were the case, I would honestly expect him to avoid speaking on the matter at all, rather than repeatedly emphasize on large platforms that no decision has been made.
3. Heat president Pat Riley is not scheduled to be in Miami on July 27
Finally, it’s worth noting that Riley is reportedly traveling at the moment and is “not expected back in Miami until August,” the Miami Herald‘s Anthony Chiang reported early Wednesday morning. If that is true, it sows further doubt in my mind that a July 27 intro date is already set in stone; surely, Riley would want to attend James’s press conference, no? Especially given the significance of his return.
I could say all this and be magnificently and fantastically wrong. Bron might join the charge in Miami, and it might later come out that the team knew days ahead of time. But if we’re thinking rationally about it, I just don’t think this is the kind of thing that leaks so early … and via a team’s YouTube page, no less.
More NBA From Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
