CLEVELAND, Ohio — Wednesday night isn’t just another game. Never is when LeBron James comes back.
It’s an extravaganza. A date that has been circled for months. The Los Angeles Lakers’ only regular season visit. James’ latest homecoming.
Perhaps his final one?
“Ever since I’ve been alive, he’s been running the league basically,” said Evan Mobley, who won’t play Wednesday because of a strained left calf that could sideline him for at least a week. “Him being out here and coming back to The Land, it’s definitely big. But we’re going to focus on what we’ve got to focus on. We’ve got to take care of business, get another win.”
Star guard Donovan Mitchell had a similar perspective.
“We’re trying to replicate what they did here, what he did here — win a championship, bring a championship back to the city,” Mitchell said following Monday’s 114-98 win over the Orlando Magic. “To be a part of possibly his last game here, it’s going to be a spectacle. It’s going to be everything that it deserves to be.
“Enjoy the moment. Allow yourself to be a child but also understand that the only way to honor him is to go out there and compete your hardest. And if it’s not his last game, it’s not, but if it is, you know, great. For me and us, we’re still trying to stack days and win games.”
To further the excitement, the Cavs will wear their classic jerseys — the wine, gold and blue throwback that James popularized during his first Cleveland run.
“It’s crazy that they’re called classics — and he’s still playing,” Mitchell said with a chuckle. “You appreciate his greatness, you appreciate what he’s done for the city, but let’s go out there and compete and have fun.”
When the Cavaliers acquired Mitchell in the summer of 2022, four years after James bolted for Los Angeles, leaving a proverbial pile of rubble behind in Cleveland, Mitchell spoke about his early Cavs fandom. He still refers to playing in Cleveland as a “full circle” moment and often reflects on a widely circulated photo of him wearing a James jersey from about two decades ago.
“To be who I am here, watching that, it’s pretty wild to me,” Mitchell said. “It’s always surreal. It’s always a blessing.”
James, drafted No. 1 overall in 2003 by Cleveland, took the Cavaliers to the Finals five times in his 11 seasons, including four straight years from 2015-2018 — each season of his second act, which was highlighted by the franchise’s only championship in 2016.
The 41-year-old James, set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, hasn’t given any hint about his future.
And he continues to play at a high level, averaging 22.4 points on 50.7% from the field and 32.8% from 3-point range to go with 6.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds while helping the Lakers to the Western Conference’s fifth-best record at 28-17.
His game doesn’t point to a guy who is _done_.
But only James knows when that time will come — and if it will be this year.
“Every game he plays, every game we get a chance to compete against him, compete in the same arena, it’s a celebration,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I always felt like LeBron, as great he is, always played with class. He’s respectful. Respectful of the other team, respectful of his opponent. I can’t wait. You say, well, it could be his last game here. He could also have like four more years left. As great as he is, as great as he’s playing, I mean, I don’t know, who has done this? Kareem \[Abdul-Jabbar\], I guess? Who else? I can’t wait until he’s in the arena.”
There will be a tribute. A moment of recognition. LeBron deserves it. He has earned it.
Given his uncertain status with the Lakers, and the apparent friction with ownership, it wouldn’t be a surprise if James flirts with Cleveland, maybe even teases a potential third stint — one that could be viewed as the fairytale ending.
James loves a good story. He understands legacy. And he wants to win.
Cleveland checks all those boxes. His old franchise would benefit greatly from his maturity and championship knowhow — two traits that continue to fuel doubters.
Speculation is already swirling. It always does given James’ eternal ties to the franchise and his deep roots to Northeast Ohio, including that mansion in Bath Township.
It’s not far-fetched. It’s not straightforward either.
The Cavs have the league’s highest payroll. They are the only team in the punitive second apron. They can’t afford him — unless he’s willing to take a massive pay cut from the $52.6 million he’s making now or the Cavs break up the core of a team headed for its fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
The Homecoming King is here. And the Cavs know they can’t get caught up in the hoopla, allowing that to distract them at a time they are playing their best.
They have won four straight and six of the last seven, finally looking like the team so many expected, one that could bring back memories of the golden days of the LeBron Era — and quite possibly appeal to James when it comes to his next decision.