NBA free agency rumors: Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wants LeBron James to leave Cleveland

Maybe if LeBron James left Cleveland it wouldn’t be such a big deal after all, at least not for Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.

According to to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Gilbert wants James out of town so he can “get (his) team back.”

“According to a couple of owners I’ve spoken to and a few executives I’ve spoken to, Dan Gilbert is known for not being particularly fond of LeBron James,” Smith said Friday after James reportedly decided not to pick up his player option with the Cavs. “He doesn’t mind the thought of LeBron James leaving at all. As a matter of fact, I had one executive tell me, ‘Excuse me, I can’t wait until he leaves, because I’ll get my team back.’ This is something Dan Gilbert has actually echoed.

“That is an exact quote from my sources that said that Dan Gilbert said that.”

Gilbert, as you may recall, wrote this infamous, bitter letter after James left Cleveland for Miami in 2010.

James, 33, is set to enter his 16th season in the NBA. He’s played for the Cavaliers 11 of those seasons, with a four-year break where he went to the Heat from 2010-14. He has said his next destination will largely depend on input from his family.

Though many believe James will wind up with the Lakers once free agency begins July 1, he could ultimately re-up with the Cavaliers, who can offer him the most money (five-years, $205 million). However, if Gilbert's sentiments are true, expect James to wear a different uniform next season.