Cliff's Edge 8.12.16: First Time for Everything #Cavs

By Cliff Gulley, @CLG2282

For the first time in his career, LeBron James is the highest paid player in the NBA. I know,  it's hard to believe.

Yes, this is true. In his pervious 13 seasons, James has never been the highest paid player in the league based on money earned from NBA contracts. That all changed Thursday evening. LeBron made the announcement that he was re-signing with the Cavs via UNINTERRUPTED, a social media for athletes that James himself owns. Sports writer Brain Windhorst would announce the details of the deal soon after via twitter.  The Cavs agreed with the all-world small forward to a 3 year deal worth a staggering $100 million.

I mean, of course we have seen $100 million contracts but never for only three years. The largest $100 million contracts were 5 years or more under the previous CBA.

In the first year of the new deal, James is set to make $31 millon for the 2016-17 season. Next year James' salary could top $33 million and make it the most lucrative contact year in NBA history.

This is a change of pace from the recent trend of essentially one year deals. LeBron is locked in for at least 2 season with a player option for the 3rd (2018-19) season. It comes to a surprise to a lot of people. James could have signed another two-year deal with the second year as an option and made over $40 million in the 2017-18 season after renegotiating.

However, signing the three year deal gives the Cavs them wiggle room to sign other key role players.  From the looks of it, the retooling process is coming along well. It will also give LeBron a little more long term security. Not that he needed it. The deal is not officially signed yet but it seems that all parties have everything agreed to in principle.

LeBron is also pushing the Cavs to get a deal done with wingman and sharp shooter JR Smith. James looks to have the "Cavs band" back together again.