LeBron James could alter the Heat's season with his decision

The Miami Heat, and the rest of the NBA, are still awaiting the decision of where LeBron James will play this next season. Though no one seems to know when this decision will be made, it does seem as if the time is near for the announcement.

The Heat are widely considered to be one of the best landing spots for James and because of this the Heat will be very selective of what other moves they make until the decision is finalized.

Miami will be careful not to make any moves that would compromise their chance to be the one James ultimately chooses, and this is for good reason. If James were to land back in Miami, then it could change the trajectory of this next season.

How James would change the trajectory

If James does decided to take his talents back to Miami, then it instantly changes the outlook on the upcoming season. Yes, the Heat did complete the trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and greatly improve their team.

The addition of Antetokounmpo catapulted them back into relevancy, but adding James could make them among the favorites for the East and the NBA championship. This is because James is exactly what the Heat are missing.

There are few players in basketball history that can take apart a defense without ever scoring, and ironically one of those players has scored more NBA points than anyone to touch a basketball.

How the roster is currently constructed, Miami could greatly benefit by adding one of the best passers the league has ever seen. James would be able to essentially function as a point guard and focus on setting up Antetokounmpo and others in optimal spots to score.

LeBron James — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This would especially be big deal if the Heat were able to add another elite shooter to the mix, such as Klay Thompson. They currently have several serviceable shooters, but outside of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Simone Fontecchio, they lack true perimeter threats.

James also excels in transition. The Heat would be a perfect team to allow him to play fast. The offensive system was changed last season which now means the Heat play with some of the most pace in the league.

The addition of Antetokounmpo, one of the league’s most dominant transition players, also strengthens the Heat’s ability to play in transition. The pairing of James and Antetokounmpo could be the best the league has to offer when talking about transition efficiency.

Many people also voice concerns about the lack of defense that James currently plays. Though I understand the concern, I personally am not worried about that. The Heat are littered with great defenders to cover James’s deficiencies on ball.

Where James could help the defense is by being a “free safety”, in the sense of just play the passing lanes. This would be the ideal fit on defense for him, because it allows him to use the basketball IQ that is unrivaled in the NBA. While the others stifle the attack, James would be there to capitalize on mistakes.

Though LeBron James is not the same player that chose Miami back in 2010, he is still an effective player. This has been especially true once the playoffs start and he no longer has to worry about surviving an 82 game schedule.

I would argue the addition of James would catapult the Heat into being Eastern Conference favorites. Miami needs to find a way to get him back.

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