The door to a LeBron James reunion in Cleveland is not closed. In fact, it may be wide open. According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, multiple team and league sources indicated that the Cleveland Cavaliers would "gladly welcome" James back if he chooses to leave the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this summer. James, a native of Akron, Ohio, spent 11 of his 23 NBA seasons with the Cavaliers across two stints and remains the most important figure in franchise history.
The report immediately reframed the conversation around James' uncertain future. While retirement remains an option at age 41, league-wide belief is growing that if James plays a 24th season, Cleveland would be a legitimate and receptive landing spot.
Why LeBron's Lakers Future Is Suddenly Unclear
James' openness to alternatives comes amid renewed scrutiny surrounding his relationship with the Lakers' power structure. In a recent ESPN report by Baxter Holmes, sources revealed that Lakers governor Jeanie Buss has, at times, privately voiced frustration with James' influence and his representation, Klutch Sports Group.
Buss reportedly "privately grumbled" about James having an "outsized ego" and expressed concern that Klutch attempted to exert "overt control" over organizational decisions. The report also revealed that Buss "floated" the idea of trading James to the Clippers in 2022.
Despite that tension, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said the fallout has prompted reconciliation efforts behind the scenes.
"But this actually… is having LeBron and Jeanie Buss and Rich Paul actually come together, and, you know, sort of clear any air, any scar tissue that exists," Windhorst said on “Get Up.”
Still, the noise matters. James enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, and ESPN's Shams Charania recently characterized the Lakers-James relationship as nearing "the end of a relationship," adding that "the end is near however you wanna slice it."
Why Cleveland Makes Basketball Sense
From a roster standpoint, Cleveland checks boxes few contenders can. The Cavaliers possess a young core led by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, but lack a large, elite wing creator who can dictate playoff possessions. Something that they have tried to obtain in a multitude of ways, including trading for former Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter last season. James would immediately fill that void with much more upside as a better passer and improved three-point shooter.
Cleveland finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference last season and currently sits fifth at 28-20. While the core's postseason ceiling remains unproven, James' presence would shift expectations overnight and provide a clearer Finals path than the Western Conference gauntlet awaiting him in Los Angeles.
James led the Cavaliers to four straight Finals from 2015-18, delivering the franchise's only championship in 2016. The familiarity cuts both ways, but so does the opportunity.
McMenamin noted that James has remained fully committed to the Lakers this season, even amid uncertainty.
"There's no telling the ride the Lakers could still go on this spring… While James is eight years older, he has shown a similar commitment," McMenamin wrote, citing lifestyle changes James made during rehab.
For now, all options remain on the table. But if James does decide to write one final chapter, Cleveland, where it all began, stands ready. And that alone makes this storyline impossible to ignore.
Newsweek