Considering LeBron James still has the remainder of this season, plus all of next season, still to play and add the fact that a lot of people in Cleveland still feel betrayed by his 2010 defection to Miami, let's put this latest report that the Cleveland Cavaliers may be clearing cap space to sign their former franchise player in the "unlikely, but let's see how it plays out" file. According to a Beacon Journal story, the Cavaliers are primed to make a run at James in 2014, with many people in the League believing that James will return to Cleveland sooner, rather than later.

From the report:

With the summer of 2014 quickly approaching, the length of a contract the Cavs will absorb is now limited.

Executives and agents around the league are convinced the Cavaliers won’t do anything to jeopardize their ability to sign a free agent to a max contract during the summer of 2014, when LeBron James can again become a free agent. As fans in Northeast Ohio continue to howl and remain divided about the possibility of his return, more and more people around the league believe there is a strong possibility James will indeed return to Cleveland after next season.

The Cavs are well aware of this, too, and won’t take on a bad contract if it compromises their cap space in two years.

That means any bad contract they would obtain in a potential trade would have to expire after next season. It doesn’t make a deal impossible, but it dramatically reduces the field — and it decreases the price the Cavs can command since their future obligations would be brief.

The Cavs previously tried this method using the $14.5 million trade exception originally obtained in the deal that sent James to Miami, but ultimately let it expire because they couldn’t find a deal to their liking.