"One day after saying he could see himself returning to play for the Cavaliers, LeBron James tried to calm the fears of Miami Heat fans. While he didn't back away from his comments on Thursday, James reaffirmed his commitment to the Heat.

"I love the fans of Miami," James said after the Heat's noon shoot-around before Friday night's game against the Cavs in The Q. "I'm here. The question was asked of me: Could I see myself playing back here? I said yeah, in the sense of I don't know what my future holds, and I don't want to take that [option] out. I love the fans of Miami. I've got everything invested with this team. I'm looking forward to the years to come."

But according to a report from Yahoo! Sports on Friday, James has been using messengers for months to express to the Cavaliers' front office his willingness to return. James' camp, according to league sources, has wanted the message delivered to owner Dan Gilbert but has yet to hear a reply.

The Cavaliers offered no comment on the story. By NBA rules, Gilbert isn't permitted to discuss another team's player without risk of fines and the possible loss of draft picks. The owner sat in his customary baseline seat Friday night.

In his remarks Thursday, James made it clear he would be amenable to mending his fractured relationship with Gilbert. "