Barkley says Heat fans are “not real fans” and James should go back.
NBA legend Charles Barkley has revealed that he hopes Miami Heat star LeBron James returns to the Cleveland Cavaliers before the end of his career.
The Cavaliers finished 33-49 this season, five games out of the playoffs, and fired coach Mike Brown after failing to live up to expectations this year.
Despite point guard Kyrie Irving continuing to lead the charge as well as a trade deal to bring in former Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng, it wasn’t enough for the Cavs to make the impression that they had hoped for.
Nevertheless, boosted by winning the No.1 pick in the NBA Draft for the second straight year and third time in past four overall, they will be confident of strengthening this summer and becoming a real force in the Eastern Conference.
As a result, Barkley believes that things should fall into place for James to make a return and lead the young group of stars forward.
“I’ve always thought he was going to go back to Cleveland,” Barkley said, as reported by ESPN.
“Nobody dislikes LeBron. I think LeBron made a huge mistake with that ‘Decision’ crap. He’s come back and since admitted that. That’s the only thing people hold against LeBron.
“He’s a great player, a great person. I hope he goes back to Cleveland. Those fans in Miami are not real fans, those fans in Cleveland are real fans. I’ve always hoped he would go back to Cleveland. That would be a great way to finish his career.”
Speculation is rife over who the Cavaliers will select in the draft, with reports that Andrew Wiggins or Joel Embiid are the most likely options, although they could still trade for a top star in order to pair him up with Irving.
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