Hey, Miami, LeBron James isn’t coming back

LeBron James has no reason to return to the Miami Heat, but plenty of reasons to appreciate his time there.

LeBron James returning for a second stint with the Miami Heat is about as likely as Pat Riley walking through your door and offering you a contract and a Cuban cigar. Those Instagram posts you saw over the weekend are more reflective than predictive. In other words: Give it up, fam.

One thing we know about LeBron is that he likes to vacation. He also likes South Florida. So, this weekend, he was vacationing in Miami. He was on a boat–another thing we know he likes–and posted a picture to Instagram of AmericanAirlines Arena with the caption “A lot of great memories riding past her today!!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWlhNeFBNOV/?taken-by=kingjames

He posted another pic, posing in front of Miami while wearing some dope shorts and way more jewelry than you’d think anyone needs while out to sea, saying “For all those that had anything to do with me being where I am today I jus wanna say THANK YOU!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWljEKPhGQh/?taken-by=kingjames

And so, as it does, Twitter went in a tizzy. An insane telephone game where LeBron went from appreciating his four years in Miami to desperately wanting to leave the Cavaliers before the season even started, and re-join the Miami Heat.

Say what?

Look, it’s not happening. As the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writes:

"“The Heat does not believe James has serious interest in returning, with the thought that he will stay in Cleveland or go to the Lakers.”"

Let me put it another way. LeBron started his career in Cleveland, never won a title, went to Miami, won two of them, then returned to Cleveland to do what? Win a title. So why would he re-sign with the Heat? What does he have to gain? More titles? Are the Heat a better option for him than Cleveland (with Kyrie Irving) or the Lakers (potentially with Paul George and much more)? No.

I’m not here to throw dirt on what Miami has. The Heat are building for something different. If LeBron wanted to return to South Beach, they’d bring him back in a heartbeat. But he has no reason to. He’s already given the Heat plenty–four NBA finals, two championships, MVP awards, the most exciting four-year run in league history. He has no unfinished business.

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And that’s okay. LeBron will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play, and he may end up playing for only two teams. And guess what, as of now, he’s won more rings in Miami than he has in Cleveland.

So don’t get your hopes up. Like LeBron, just put on your dopest shorts, think back to those fond memories, and smile.