What a difference a week makes.
On Monday, I said there was no chance for LeBron James to leave Miami. Since then, Cleveland quarterback Johnny Football has proven himself to be the premier off-season talent evaluator and the RNC selected the Forest City as the site for the 2016 national convention. Face it, if Cleveland can swipe the 2016 RNC away from Las Vegas, it’s not outside the realm of possibility for "just a kid from Akron" to come home. If you met anyone from or associated with Ohio, you know they have a unrealistically high opinion of the Buckeye State.
Miami Heat fans are terrified LeBron will ditch them after his three year-stand. The Heat fan I’m most concerned for, however, is SI swimsmoke and Heat superfan Nina Agdal.
Nina is a massive Heat fan and will likely take LeBron's departure the hardest. Memo to LeBron: SI swimsmokes aren't going to be waiting for you to chat at the post-game parties in Cleveland.
She has to be especially on edge, considering the current make-up of the team.
LeBron's possible departure and the Heat's return to irrelevancy must be more nerve-wracking than jumping out of a plane.
She'd give the clothes off her back for LeBron to resign with the Heat.
Nina is close with Heat owner Mickey Arison and no doubt has his ear on personnel decisions.
She already has built a relationship with restricted free agent Chandler Parsons, whose talent as a outside shooter would fill a desperate Heat need. Parsons was offered a hefty contract from the Dallas Mavericks and the team he's currently on, the Houston Rockets, have three days to decide if they want to match Dallas' lavish offer.
Houston can't afford to keep Parsons since they need the cap space to offer a max contract to LeBron's teammate Chris Bosh, who is obviously waiting to see where LeBron lands before he makes his own decision.
Be strong, Nina!
Though we should note you were warned by your fellow SI swimsmoke, Lauren Mellor.
.@_Charette_ @mellor_lauren I can see him retunring home to Cleveland
— SI Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) June 25, 2014