There was an overwhelming belief that LeBron James would play out what many believe will be his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers or make a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers to bookend a storybook career.
If there was a surprising move to be made, the Golden State Warriors would also make sense on paper. However, just a few days ago, the Miami Heat may have suddenly jumped into the ring as a possibility.
And if it is indeed true that the Lakers have not offered LeBron a contract yet and that there has been little to no communication between the two sides, that just may have opened a door for the Heat to bust in as a real threat to sign him.
Even more so considering that after the acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, it's been reported that the Heat would "absolutely explore" the possibility of adding LeBron.
Why a return to Miami makes sense for LeBron James
Just last week, even the thought of a return to Miami for LeBron would've been inconceivable. It just didn't add up. But much of that has changed now that Giannis is Miami-bound. The Heat should, at the very least, be on his radar as a potential landing spot if the Lakers don't indeed give him the extension that he's looking for.
There are two big things that would need to add up for LeBron should he leave the Lakers. First, there needs to be a chance to win a championship. If LeBron is preparing for his final season or two, he needs to be playing for something.
And second, the storyline has to be strong. LeBron is unlikely to consider joining a team where there's no possibility of a storybook ending.
All of a sudden, the Heat checks both of those boxes. And as ESPN's Ramona Shelburne noted, that's one of the biggest reasons why the Heat could be back on as a possibility for LeBron.
LeBron could seemingly win an NBA Championship alongside Giannis and Bam Adebayo in Miami, and it would be a great story for him to be back where it all changed for him (after his original stint in Cleveland).
Despite the arguments for LeBron signing in Miami, the question remains: would he actually do it?
That's difficult to answer. The relationship between the Heat and LeBron seems to have been reconciled over the last few years. But is it at the point where LeBron would consider coming back to Miami for what could be his final season in the NBA?
Time will ultimately tell, but for the first time in a very long time, the idea of LeBron returning to Miami isn't a pipe dream. It could very well be on the table, and could end up making the most sense for LeBron if the Lakers don't want him back.
And even just a few days ago, this was truly impossible to fathom.
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