INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James said he remains interested in finishing his career in Cleveland but will not make any commitments or discuss his 2018 free agency during the season.
James is in the final year of his contract, though he has a player option for the 2018-19 season. There has already been significant speculation he may consider changing teams for a third time next season, but as has been his practice in the past, he left his options open.
"[My feelings on Cleveland] haven't changed, that's why I sit here today still in this uniform, still ready to lead this franchise to a championship," James said. "Any time I'm able to be a free agent or my contract is ending, I'll approach that when the summer comes. I don't ever cheat my teammates or cheat the fans or talk about free agency all year long because I'm not going to give energy to something I can handle in the summertime when I should be focused on what I'm doing on a day-to-day basis to help this franchise compete for a championship."
When James returned to Cleveland in 2014, he expressed several times he didn't plan on changing teams again. He signed new contracts with the Cavs in 2015 and 2016 without much fanfare. But there is more uncertainty now, especially in the wake of Kyrie Irving's departure via trade over the summer.
As in 2010 and 2014, when he changed teams, James plans to take a business approach to the issue.
"At the end of the day, I have a contract and I will fill out that obligation as I've always done," James said. "If you know me, I've always handled it in the most businesslike way. And I will do that with my team and I will do that in the summertime as we always have."