Key Info
Unestricted Free Agent | 2014-15 Team: Cavaliers
- 25.3 PPG
- 6.0 RPG
- 7.4 APG
- 2014-15 Eastern Conference All-Star
- 2014-15 All-NBA First Team
James Officially Re-Signs With Cavs - 10 July
CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed forward LeBron James, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. Per league and team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.
"LeBron's re-signing today is a reflection and continuation of his strong, personal commitment to help deliver championships to Northeast Ohio and Cavs fans everywhere," said Griffin. "We share this deep level of commitment with him. His impact upon this team, his community and the game are impossible to overstate and we look forward to continuing on our mission together."
James, a four-time MVP and 11-time NBA All-Star, appeared in 69 regular season games (all starts) for the Cavaliers in 2014-15 with averages of 25.3 points (3rd in NBA) on .488 shooting from the field, 6.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists (7th in NBA) and 1.6 steals in 36.1 minutes. It was James' 11th consecutive season averaging at least 25.0 points per game, which is tied with Karl Malone (1987-88 to 1997-98) and Jerry West (1961-62 to 1971-72) for the most consecutive seasons averaging at least 25.0 points in NBA history (min. 30 games). James earned All-NBA First Team honors and was also the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month twice in 2014-15 (February and March), as well as the Player of the Week three times (week ending Nov. 16, Nov. 30 & Jan. 25).
James was one of only three players in the NBA to tally 1,700 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 100 steals (James Harden, Russell Westbrook). The 6-8 forward scored in double figures in all 69 games, increasing his consecutive double-digit scoring streak to 641 (third-longest streak in NBA history). In addition to scoring in double figures every game he appeared in, James had 52 games of at least 20 points, 18 games of at least 30 points and three 40-point outings. He also registered 22 double-doubles and two triple-doubles.
The Akron, Ohio native remains the franchise's leader in points scored (16,994), scoring average (27.5), field goals made (6,039), three-pointers made (891), free throws made (4,025), assists (4,321), steals (1,064) and minutes played (24,601). Over his 12-year NBA career, James has appeared in 911 regular season games (910 starts) with averages of 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 39.3 minutes, while shooting .496 from the floor, .342 from three-point range and .745 from the foul line.
For his postseason career, James has appeared in 178 playoff contests (all starts) with averages of 28.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 42.5 minutes per game. He started in all 20 games during the Cavs' NBA Finals run in the 2015 Playoffs, recording an NBA-high 14 double-doubles (three triple-doubles) and averaging 30.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in 42.2 minutes per game. He joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in league playoff history to average at least 30.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in a single postseason.
The mission continues.
OFFICIAL RELEASE: http://t.co/I6UJ1qe9eW pic.twitter.com/2rtWWIIrSV
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 10, 2015Reports: James To Re-sign With Cavs On Two-Year Deal - 9 July
HANG TIME NEW JERSEY — The two best free agents of 2015 (and given good health, the two best bargains of the coming season) didn't reach agreements with their teams until Thursday, the ninth day of free agency and the first day when deals could be officially signed.
Of course, we knew all along that Tim Duncan and LeBron James were going back to San Antonio and Cleveland, respectively. But we were waiting on the terms of Duncan's deal and for James to break his silence and/or get back from his vacation.
According to our David Aldridge, Duncan will be back with the Spurs for just $5 million this season, meaning that his former back-up, Aron Baynes, will be getting more money from the Detroit Pistons. It also means that the Spurs have additional flexibility under the salary cap after they sign Duncan and LaMarcus Aldridge (to a max contract starting at $19.7 million), with cap holds for Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard on the books. They could have about $2.2 million to offer a new back-up center.
James, meanwhile, is taking the maximum allowed from the Cavs, as expected.
He can opt out again next season and sign a more lucrative deal for 2016-17. And it would make sense for him to become a free agent again in 2017 (for the fourth straight summer) to really get paid after that, when the salary cap reaches its peak and when the Cavs have his full Bird rights.
The Cavs have new deals in place with James, Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert, as well as with the returning Mo Williams. They've yet to reach agreements with restricted free agents Matthew Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson, and J.R. Smith seems to be hanging in the wind at this point.