The NBA season is in the home stretch with a month and a half left until the playoffs, making each game more and more meaningful. LeBron James made history last week by becoming the first player in league history to record 30,000 career points, 8,000 career rebounds, and 8,000 career assists, but there continue to be lingering questions about his future with the Cleveland Cavaliers beyond this season. We have the latest on that story and more in today's NBA News & Rumors Roundup:
"50/50" chance LeBron James signs with 76ers?
The Philadelphia 76ers have gained some momentum in their quest to land LeBron James in free agency this offseason as some mutual interest exists between the sides, and it has now gotten to the point where they reportedly have a "50/50" chance to land him, according to Sixers insider Jon Johnson.
After speaking to several individuals around the league the past few days, Lebron to philly has a much higher percentage of happening than most think.
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) March 1, 2018
One league source told me, “50/50.”
James is expected to decline the $34.6 million player option on his contract for next season in order to explore free agency, and Philadelphia has emerged as a favorite because they could present LeBron his best chance at long-term success. The 76ers have the second-youngest roster in the league, headlined by a pair of superstars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and have enough cap space to sign him to a max contract while also keeping all of their current pieces.
A number of other teams, specifically the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers, are planning to pursue him on the open market.
He is averaging 26.7 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.4 rebounds per game this season.
MORE NBA RUMORS: LeBron James looking at schools in Philadelphia?
Kevin Love hoping for early return
Elsewhere in Cleveland, there's a good chance that they'll get forward Kevin Love back from a broken hand sooner than expected, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward Kevin Love was back on the practice court taking mid-range jump shots Friday, four weeks after fracturing a bone in his left hand.
He is optimistic that he will return to game action before the team's stated eight-week recovery timeline expires.
"If I can get back before eight weeks, great," Love said Friday. "I'm hoping that is the case."
Love, who has not played since Jan. 30, is averaging 17.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season.
Latest on Knicks-Joakim Noah feud
New York Knicks center Joakim Noah has been on indefinite leave after he got into a heated exchange with head coach Jeff Hornacek earlier this month, yet he and team did not come to a buyout agreement prior to the March 1 deadline.
Though it's unlikely that he'll return to the team unless they make a coaching change, his future with the team isn't expected to be determined until the summer, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Noah is unwilling to give up enough of his $72 million contract in a buyout to make it worthwhile for the Knicks to let him free.
The Knicks feel there will be better options with Noah down the road -- trading him this summer to get his money off the books entirely or, more likely, waiving him via the stretch provision when the magical date of Sept. 1 occurs.
On Sept. 1, the calculation changes for the better and would save the Knicks at least $12 million more in cap space in the summer of 2019, when brass is targeting a free-agent splash.
Noah, who still has nearly $38 million left on his contract, is averaging 1.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 5.7 minutes in seven games this season.
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