Rich Paul Reveals How He Convinced LeBron James to Return to Cleveland After 2 Championships With Heat

LeBron James is considered a legend in Cleveland today, thanks to his role in helping the Cavs win their only championship to date in 2016. But it may not have happened had his agent Rich Paul not made him see why returning home was the best option for him, after he made 'The Decision' in 2010 to leave for the Heat in search of glory.

In a recent episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast, Paul revealed how he got James, and his entire family, on board with the idea of going back to his hometown team.

"It's about legacy, man," Paul said. "He was open-minded. But he wasn't the first person I had a conversation with. I had a conversation with Savannah (James), Aunt (Gloria James). We talked about it. ... This is my job. This is the role I play."

James got drafted by the Cavaliers No. 1 in the 2003 Draft, and he was always seen as the man who would deliver a championship to his city. But in 2010, he decided to form a big-three with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, and went on to win two NBA titles at the 305. But they were never going to complete his legacy. For that, he had to return and complete the fairytale.

"What I'm saying is, in terms of legacy," Paul added. "And it wasn't about winning. I didn't know they were going to the finals in the first year. All I was saying was, 'There's an opportunity, and if you're able to win, that's a wrap. Forget anything else. If you win a championship for the city of Cleveland, I don't care what anybody get on, any media platform, it don't even matter.'"

True enough, James managed to deliver on his promise to his hometown by winning the 2016 NBA championship. It was the only title he would ever win with his home team, but it was special enough, a moment that those associated with the victory still celebrate across the league.

Some members of the 2016 Cavs recently traveled to Europe to enjoy a golfing vacation in June. These members included James, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, and Matthew Dellavedova. The reason for their Euro trip was to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their championship victory.

LeBron James' Former Cavs Teammate Gets Candid on His Return in 2014

When LeBron James made his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, it wasn't without any major adjustments. Before his homecoming moment, the Cavs already had young, bright stars in Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson. Irving was supposedly the new face of the franchise, while Thompson was on his way to earning his stardom.

However, with a championship-caliber player coming to the picture, the team's dynamics were surely about to change. Thompson didn't initially appreciate how he had to diminish his role and focus on the King's orders. At first, he didn't fully grasp the idea of being a role player and wanted to focus on becoming his own star. But his shared agent with James, Rich Paul, ultimately convinced him to obey the King.

"Before LeBron came back, I'm averaging 12 and 10," Thompson said. "I'm getting ISOs in the block. I'm going to work. I'm having a good time. But when LeBron comes, he's like, ‘Double T, screen roll, duck in the paint, and guard. Make sure no one scores on you, and we're going to get you everything around the rim.'"

"As a young guy, you're like, ‘Man, I was just getting started. I'm going to All-Stars and having great nights. I'm playing against Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap and having good nights.' In my head, I'm like, ‘I'm about to be an All-Star. I could be an All-Star."

"I remember Rich called me. He said, ‘Double T, it could go two ways. Either you're going to buy into what needs to be done to win a championship, or you might be gone. And once you get moved, you don't know what it's going to look like. You don't know what team you're going to go to."

"I said, ‘You know what, I'm going to make the executive decision for my career, and I'm going to sacrifice. I'm going to sit right here and enjoy this ride. And sure enough, it was a good ride."

Now that LeBron is once again a free agent, there's an opportunity for him to repeat history. The Cavs are one of the teams linked most heavily with him. And this time around, he'll be coming to a Cavs team led by Donovan Mitchell. However, the difference is that Mitchell is already an established All-Star, which should make James's transition a lot smoother if he does decide to come back.