The Miami Heat have pulled off what is likely to be the biggest move of this offseason by agreeing to terms with the Milwaukee Bucks on a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but could they make another big splash? Former Heat superstar LeBron James is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson thinks the team could look into a reunion.
“The Heat could try to lure impending free agent LeBron James with its full midlevel exception, but a James return is considered a long shot,” Jackson wrote.
James infamously left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Heat back in 2010, teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a Big 3. They made it to the NBA Finals four years in a row and won championships in 2012 and 2013.
James would return to the Cavaliers in 2014 and has been linked to the Heat on numerous occasions since then. No move has ever even come close to materializing, though.
Jackson says it is a long shot, but we can probably rule it out. The Heat can only offer James the $15.5 million midlevel exception, and you wonder if that would be all too appealing. The 41-year-old made $52.6 million in 2025-26 and is still playing at a high level despite his age.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26. It has been reported that the 22-time All-Star will ask for a max contract from the Lakers, but you doubt he’s getting that from them or anyone else.
James will be taking a pay cut. The only question is how big a pay cut it will be.
Speaking of pay cuts, Heat president Pat Riley reportedly asked James to take less than the max during contract negotiations in 2014. He had no interest in doing so and left. Riley also banned chocolate chip cookies, James’ favorite snack, on team flights. These two certainly weren’t on the best of terms towards the end of their time together.
While there doesn’t seem to be any animosity, it seems unlikely James would have much interest in playing for Riley’s Heat again. He would be an interesting addition, though.
The Heat need a playmaker next to Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, and James could certainly play that role. Those two can cover for him on the defensive end as well.
The Heat will likely have to look elsewhere to address this need, though. It’s crucial they do so as well.
While acquiring Antetokounmpo does elevate the Heat, this still doesn’t look like a serious title contender. They gave up some good pieces for him and Bobby Portis in Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis.
That has contributed to the Heat not having a lot of depth now. There are just too many issues you can point to with this team presently.
How Riley and that Heat front office fill out the rest of the roster will determine how far this team can go next season. If they aren’t looked at as one of the biggest winners in free agency, it’d be hard to be too optimistic about their prospects.
