Cap quirk would cost LeBron $3M if he signs 1-year deal with Cavs

LeBron James has made a habit the past two summers of signing one-year contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers in order to maximize his income under the NBA salary cap. And in a strange twist of fate, he will make less next season if he does the same, even with the cap about to skyrocket.

James is expected to decline his $24-million option for next season, as he did last summer. Under the new salary cap, he would qualify to make $27.5 million in 2016-17, which is actually $3 million less than he would make if he signed a one-year deal elsewhere, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

The technicality comes because of the Cavaliers' payroll situation - butting up against a near-record luxury tax in their successful pursuit of an NBA title - and the fact they don't have full Bird Rights on James. Additionally, the league salary cap is jumping so much that the rise in overall max-contract parameters exceeds what the Cavs can offer James on a one-year deal.

The peculiarity continues in that James would actually make the league max if he signed a two-year contract this summer - about $64 million over two seasons. That would counter the logic of the repeated one-year deals he's been known for. With the salary cap primed to jump again in 2017, a superstar free agent like Kevin Durant is anticipated to sign with a team - be it the Oklahoma City Thunder or another - for only one season in order to maximize payment.

For James, that approach appears to no longer be the case. He is not expected to sign elsewhere - and open up another Pandora's Box of character scrutiny - over $3 million however. James told reporters Wednesday that he has "no intentions of leaving" Cleveland.