When NBA basketball star LeBron James becomes a free agent every so many years, it begins on July 1. Each year on July 1, the sun is at about 9 degrees of Cancer which opposes James’ sun at 9 degrees of Capricorn.

This is symbolic of natural polarity between ambitious Capricorn and clan-loving Cancer. Capricorn is our social consciousness and Cancer is our personal consciousness. Capricorn is the father; Cancer the mother. Capricorn seeks the highest public office; Cancer seeks the emotional connection of a family-like unit.

This polarity is evident for James who left Cleveland for Miami, returned to Cleveland and is now heading to Los Angeles.

Career or clan?

The beat goes on.

Saturn Agent

Even more amusing, should you look at the astrology behind the timing of James’ moves, is that as free agent this year, July 1, 2018, Saturn is transiting his sun. Saturn, the planet of contraction, is retrograde right now (appearing to move backwards), and will move forwards again in the fall and then conjunct James’ sun in December, a couple weeks before his birthday.

Saturn is a time when you feel limitation, not expanse. Saturn rules Capricorn and can certainly increase feelings of ambition but also increases considerably one’s personal responsibilities, as Capricorn is a responsibility magnet.

If the Astrotheme chart is correct, the responsibilities involve partnerships and roles within relationships. Others can feel burdensome to James. Capricorn response often involves depression.

Let’s not forget, too, that Saturn and Capricorn rule the skins, bones, teeth and knees. For a basketball player, knees tend to be important so there may be a problem with the knees at the end of the year.

James’ natal Saturn is in Scorpio and Jupiter is transiting that sign until the end of the year. This brings on more Saturn energy, this time with regard to shared resources, loans and taxes. There could be money owed or a loan coming due.

Speaking of money concerns, transiting Uranus in Taurus is now opposing James’ Pluto in Scorpio. This, again, leads to money concerns. If the Astrotheme chart is correct, this opposition occurs between the 5th and 11th houses where money is shared with groups for creative efforts. Because the planets are in opposition, James may provide money for some creative effort and discover the money was not used in the way intended.

Pluto Agent

James’ rise to stardom occurred around the time that Pluto entered Capricorn in early 2008 and began crossing James’ Neptune and then sun. Pluto is the planet of transformation which can also involve destruction, which usually occurs at the beginning of the cycle. For James’ the beginning of the Pluto cycle involved a rise to prominence. What gets “destroyed” in this type of situation is the self you were when it began.

Being a basketball player and being a star are two different things. Wealth and fame are exhilarating to a person like James with sun in ambitious Capricorn and moon in competitive Aries. These are two very commanding and demanding signs both to others and to the self. But some other part of the self may have been destroyed in response.

Pluto transits are pressure, compulsion. You don’t seem to have a choice in the matter. Events feel fated. Both Saturn and Pluto transits are very serious and speak to power and politics. I’m not a sports fan but I can guess that James or any other sports superstar is juggling a lot of power and money. The rich and famous aren’t always as happy as people expect.

Mars in Pisces

Mars and the sign it rules, Aries, are associated with athleticism. With moon in Aries, James follows suit. Transiting Uranus was in Aries from 2011-2018 which gave energy to any planet in Aries. For an athlete, this is gold.

Yet James’ natal Mars itself is in sign much more passive and empathetic (Pisces) than the other energies in the chart. Transiting Neptune entered Pisces in 2011 and was already in orb (influencing) James’ natal Mars. This transit was in effect during most of the time James was in Miami. With Neptune transiting Mars, there may have been a sense of longing for something else, something not as tangible as fame and wealth.

This is the sensitive part of James in an otherwise ambitious personality. James’ philanthropic efforts may be a Capricorn sense of responsibility combined with this Piscean desire to help (and sometimes rescue) others.

Pisces and the Neptune transits also bring the “fame” and allure masses find in talented individuals. The flip side of Pisces allure is the Pisces scapegoat. This sometimes happens to the sensitive Pisces among us.

Free Agent

In the spring of 2020, transiting Saturn will have passed into Aquarius and transiting Pluto will have finished crossing most of James’ Capricorn planets.

James will be a young 36 in 2020, but for an athlete, age is the enemy. As James appears to have many interests besides sports, I expect in 2020 he may retire from sports to pursue other ventures permanently.

After years of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto transits, James may find that in 2020 is truly a free agent.