CLEVELAND — LeBron James checked out with 4:03 remaining to a round of applause from the crowd at Quicken Loans Arena. The 2018 NBA Finals against the Warriors had been decided at that point — some would argue it was over much earlier — and that opened the door for the biggest storyline of the 2018 offseason.
A 3-6 record in the NBA Finals will be defended and skewered. A future in Cleveland will be questioned and tested against other alluring locations. A free-agency decision will determine the next chapter and set up perhaps the final act for the 33-year-old megastar who has dominated the sport for the last 15 years.
Where that goes is open for interpretation, and we got the first clue at the postgame press conference following a 108-85 loss to Golden State in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday night. James averaged 34.0 points, 10.0 assists and 8.5 rebounds in the series. He played through blurry vision, a twisted ankle and a bruised hand suffered in the aftermath of Game 1, a self-inflicted injury that wasn't revealed until the series was over.
James wasn't ready to address the question about whether he would return to Cleveland. This will be a family decision with his wife and children made in the summer, and everybody will be waiting for that answer.
"I still have so much to give to the game," James said. "Like I said, when you have a goal and you're able to accomplish that goal, it actually, for me personally, it made me even hungrier to continue to try to win championships, and I still want to be in championship mode."
Call it the start of the fourth quarter of The King's reign and a chance to open a new chapter, whether that's in Cleveland or somewhere else. It's also a third opportunity for James to leave all doubts behind about that legacy and find the best place to put him in position to add a few more championships. He'll no doubt take lessons from the first three quarters.
"The Chosen One" arrived in the first quarter and launched a seven-year climb for the St. Vincent–St. Mary High School star and No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. He took the Cavaliers to five conference semifinals, two conference finals and one NBA Finals appearance in 2007, but that climb was beset with unprecedented scrutiny to reach the top. That boiled over on May 13, 2010, when James ripped his jersey off after a series-clinching loss to Boston in the conference semifinals.
"I'm going to approach this summer with the right mindset," James said via The New York Times after that loss. "Me and my team is going to figure out what's the best possibility for me. I love the city of Cleveland, of course, the city, the fans. Another disappointing season, to say the least, but at the same time we have a great time together. So we'll see what happens."
"The Decision" followed, a PR fail that started the second quarter of James' career — the dawn of the "Super Team" era with Miami teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert torched James in an immature letter (Comic Sans!), and James spent this chapter as both hero and villain as the NBA's first true social media superstar. James said 2010 remains the most difficult choice he had to make, but the benefit was playing with more talent.
"I made the move in 2010 to be able to play with talented players, cerebral players that you could see things that happen before they happened on the floor," James said.
The Heat split four NBA Finals appearances — and James experienced winning and losing on the biggest stage. That quarter ended with a loss in a five-game series to the superior Spurs and an ugly divorce with Miami team president Pat Riley.
"I'm Coming Home" followed, which offered a thrilling twist. James returned to the Cavs for his third quarter as a feel-good story. That featured four more NBA Finals runs against Golden State, and James played the hero when he led the Cavs from a 3-1 deficit to the city's first pro sports championship since 1964.
"I came back because I felt like I had unfinished business, and to be able to be a part of a championship team two years ago with the team we had in the fashion we had is something I'll always remember," James said.
Again, that road was plagued with scrutiny and went downhill in 2017 when general manager David Griffin parted ways with the team and Kyrie Irving was traded to Boston. This season featured entirely too much drama that carried over in the 2018 NBA Finals, and the Warriors took advantage with a clean sweep.
James didn't tear off his jersey after the latest loss, instead giving a series of hugs to personnel in the tunnel leading to the Cavs' locker room afterward. Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue took the first question about James' future.
"I hope he stays," Lue said. "We all know that. After a game like that I'm not in any position to talk about any of that. I just appreciate what he's done for us all season."
For his part, James didn't pout this time. He smiled while answering questions. He showed his cast to reporters and made a few jokes. He seems at peace with whatever comes next.
He did more than enough this time around, but the questions stands. Where will he go? Will that stop the Warriors' championship machine?
Golden State coach Steve Kerr praised the Cavs and said facing James is "terrifying," but there's an obvious difference between the two franchises that's been exposed twice in two years.
"We had more talent than they did, and talent wins in this league," Kerr said.
Where will James — a once-in-a-generation player — find the kind of talent to match his own? Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Boston are logical suitors, and each location has an allure and a drawback. James will sort that out in what might be the most unpredictable free-agency yet.
We don't know how, when and where he will decide, but it's a decision that will chart the next act for both the NBA (which needs somebody to give the Warriors an honest run) and James (who can either stay or go with no regrets or complications).
Chances are James will take his talents to the place that offers the most talent in return. That goes for now, and perhaps a future in the game when his playing days are over.
"I have a lot of knowledge for the game," James said. "I understand talent. I know talent, but I know the right questions to ask certain guys and see if they're smart enough to actually think the game as well. So we'll see what happens."
