LeBron James signed an extension with the Los Angeles Lakers this past offseason, which represents at least a six-year commitment to the franchise. James spent only four seasons with the Miami Heat before returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers for another four-year stint. 

James has clearly built a life for himself in Los Angeles beyond basketball.

"I think he's making a decision, which by the way, he has every right to, he's making a decision like this is where I want to be at the end of my career," said Brian Windhorst on The Bill Simmons Podcast. "He was never totally comfortable in Miami. As soon as the season ended, he was out of there back to Akron. 

"Maybe even if he played in L.A. at that time of his life, that would have been the way he was. He was never comfortable there. He's comfortable in L.A. His roots are in."

The Miami Heat have signed guard Dru Smith.

Smith recently appeared in three Summer League games with the Heat and averaged 12.0 points, 3.00 steals 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line. He appeared in 10 games (five starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, last season and averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.20 steals and 27.5 minutes. 

Smith started all 25 games he appeared in as a senior at Missouri in 2020-21, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.04 steals and 33.9 minutes while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the foul line. He was named to the All-SEC First Team and became the first player in school history to be named to the SEC All-Defensive Team after leading the conference in steals for the second consecutive season. He also led the team in points, assists, steals, field goals made, free throws made and minutes and earned Conference Player of the Week three times, the most by any player that season.

Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux), Nekias Duncan of The Dunker Spot podcast and BasketballNews (@NekiasNBA) and Mike Prada of The Athletic and Spaced Out(@MikePradaNBA) break down the NBA’s Southeast Division.

They discuss how the Heat, Wizards, Magic, Hornets and Hawks fared in the off-season, including which teams improved and what moves stood out. The three also predict the season to come, including projected finish, breakout players and rookies they are most excited to see.

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