Chapter 255: I’m Back. (Revised)
"What? Han went back to Cleveland?!"
LeBron James was dumbfounded when Rich Paul told him about what was happening outside.
This summer, LeBron signed a 4-year, $80 million contract extension with Nike, similar to his previous deal.
But sneaker deals are like rowing against the current—if you're not moving forward, you're falling behind.
By normal standards, his third deal with Nike should've been a lifetime contract.
Instead, not only was it not a lifetime deal, Nike had shifted its focus, signing Kevin Durant to a 10-year, $300 million extension.
Despite Durant not winning a title last season, the shift in Nike's priorities was obvious.
It wasn't surprising—LeBron's performance over the past two years had been underwhelming, failing to deliver any significant achievements.
And this new deal with Nike came with strings attached: he had to comply with their every demand.
LeBron's camp had even explored options with Adidas, but Adidas seemed more interested in a different James—James Harden.
In the end, LeBron accepted the offer, especially after Nike executives pitched him on a "hometown basketball" narrative.