Much of the NBA world spent last week convinced LeBron James was heading to the Warriors. Brian Windhorst thinks they should pump the brakes.The ESPN insider, who has covered LeBron for over two decades, appeared on “Pardon My Take” this week and offered a sobering reality check; nearly every league source he has spoken to privately believes James is not headed to the Warriors, the Miami Heat or anywhere else. They think he is going back to Cleveland.
“I’ve talked to people in Philly, and I’m like, ‘What do you think?’” Windhorst said. “‘We’re afraid it’s Cleveland.’ Everybody I talked to is like, ‘We’re afraid it’s Cleveland.’ Nobody seems like they have optimism.”
Windhorst was careful to frame this as a reflection of league sentiment rather than his own prediction. But when the consistent refrain from sources across multiple franchises is fear rather than confidence, it carries weight.
The complicating factor, and the reason Warriors fans have not abandoned hope completely, is Draymond Green. When Green declined his $27.7 million...