Prominent Cavaliers beat writer Brian Windhorst is following LeBron James to Miami.
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer writer, who wrote two books about James and was a Cavaliers beat writer since James joined the team in 2003, is heading to ESPN to cover James and the Heat.
Windhorst discussed his decision in an interview with Cleveland Scene, saying “it wasn’t a snap decision” and that “it really took being part of something special to leave.” Windhorst: “I’m not moving on because I don’t think the Cavs will be an interesting story. I’m moving on because I think there’s a story that supersedes them.”
Windhorst has covered James since the two-time MVP was in middle school. Earlier this year, he noted to Marketwatch that he had known James “since he was 14 years old.”
However, Windhorst says he is not leaving solely to cover LeBron, noting that he has family and real estate in the South Florida area. “I’m covering the Heat. Obviously LeBron’s a huge factor in that, but it’s not like I’m just going to some city I don’t have ties to.”
In addition to Windhorst, ESPN has hired former Miami Herald writer Michael Wallace to cover the Heat.
Windhorst and Wallace will contribute to The Heat Index, a section of ESPN.com’s NBA page devoted to the Heat. The section will launch on October 11.
