The Los Angeles Lakers are planning to dump LeBron James after this season, and a return to Cleveland is likely next after the Cavaliers broke up their core four to trade for James Harden. Darius Garland is ten years younger than Harden, so the franchise is clearly focused on the now in the All-Star guard swap. They are building around Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. It is an elite core that could be boosted by the GOAT next season.
James opted into a $52.6 million player option for this season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Lakers want to remake their roster around Luka Doncic and cannot afford to pay LeBron like a superstar. Charles Barkley has already predicted a breakup is coming. James has gas left in the tank, and the storybook ending is chasing one final ring back home.
LeBron is expected to remain with the Lakers for the rest of this season. It is difficult to trade his massive contract in this era of the NBA, and he has a no-trade clause. James is enjoying playing next to Luka Doncic, but the situation is likely to change in the offseason. The wild theories are already brewing, but the smoke about LeBron returning to Cleveland may actually turn into a fire.
LeBron James will return to the Cavaliers this summer
James hasn’t definitively announced his plans. The 41-year-old could retire or return to the Lakers on a discount. Those don’t seem like moves LeBron wants to do. He would love to maximize his earnings and is still playing like a superstar. There is no reason to hang up the sneakers yet.
The Cavaliers are already charting a path to add LeBron. They want to win another championship. Tuesday’s trade gave them a superstar duo in the backcourt to pair with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The Cavaliers may not be done. Jarrett Allen is rumored to be on the trade block, and the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumblings haven’t stopped.
Cleveland’s roster may look extremely different heading into next season. The Eastern Conference remains wide open, and owner Dan Gilbert isn’t afraid to spend on a contender. LeBron has made the Cavs a serious threat every year he’s been in their uniform. Convincing him to return home for his retirement tour would be a win-win situation, especially if it meant chasing a ring.
Expect the rumors to get louder as the offseason draws near. LeBron James wanted to retire as a Laker, but the Luka Doncic trade may prevent that. The purple and gold want to chase championships. Having a superstar in his 40s makes that difficult, especially over the grind of an NBA campaign.
LeBron James is most likely to leave the Los Angeles Lakers for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the offseason. It makes too much sense now that his hometown team has traded for James Harden. They are hungry for another championship, and King James brought Cleveland one in 2016. The reunion is the perfect ending to LeBron’s career. It just makes too much sense for every side, even if Lakers fans hate it.