Rookie hopes Cavaliers star will stay in Cleveland
CLEVELAND At the time, Cavaliers rookie Cedi Osman didn’t realize the possible significance of the moment.
He didn’t comprehend that the end of the LeBron James era in Cleveland may have come when he checked in for James with 4:03 remaining in the Cavaliers’ 108-85 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
“I wasn’t thinking at all like that,” Osman said. “Got to keep believing he can stay.”
Osman spoke quietly, still coping with being swept as the Warriors won their third championship over the Cavs in the last four years. When he contemplated the fact that James could decide to opt out of his contract and leave the Cavs for the second time in free agency, Osman felt sad.
“Of course, if he leaves, that would be, like, pretty bad,” Osman said. “If he leaves, I’m going to be sad for sure.”
When the disappointment lessens, Osman may laugh over the fact that when James first tried to fist bump him as he left the court, Osman was still pulling off his warm-ups and missed the exchange. James gave it another try — James with his left hand (not his injured right), Osman with his right — and this time they connected.
James has referred to Osman as “my guy” because the 23-year-old from Turkey was usually the first to greet him with a chest bump after a game-winning buzzer-beater.
Told he may have been part of a special moment in Cavs history, Osman said, “I know, I know, it’s special for me. The whole season was special for me. Especially playing with him. It was an amazing year for me. Just four games away from a ring, from a championship. Hopefully next year we’re going to come back stronger, hopefully the same team, and move on.”