Amid uncertainty regarding his future with the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James continues to be mentioned among potential candidates to join the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2026 NBA offseason. James last played for the Cavs in 2018, where he joined the Lakers in free agency.
With a potential pay cut in the cards, and the fact that the Lakers are all-in on Luka Doncic as their go-to guy, has made people think James has his days with the Lakers numbered. During Tuesday’s edition of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, James discussed Cleveland’s moves ahead of the trade deadline.
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“They’re going for it,” James said. “They felt like they needed another playmaker, someone that’s been there, kind of been in this situation before, and they added James (Harden), perennial All-Star who’s still putting up All-Star numbers. (Harden) gives Donovan Mitchell another, like, ball handler guy who can make shots late in the game.”
He also touched on the additions they made from Sacramento, praising the players who would give Cleveland what they need to aspire to compete for the championship.
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“Those pickups that they got from Sac as well, you know, Schroder, a former teammate of mine, you know that’s going to compete every single night, and Keon Ellis, the guy’s going to compete, make shots,” James added. “Like, those guys are going to be, I think, really, really good for that team, especially in the East, where it’s a lot of bulk. You’ve got to have some dogs in there, so I think they added a lot.”
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Los Angeles Lakers could bring back LeBron James after 2025-26 season
Jan 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) walk to the bench during a time out in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
While every option seems on the table, the Lakers keeping James on the roster next season might be a strong possibility. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the purple and gold would be open to bringing him back for a 24th NBA season.
James makes $52.6 million for the 2025-26 season. He will be a free agent in the summer, meaning he will have full control of his future. The final decision belongs to him, and the possibility of ending his career where it all began, in Cleveland, could entice him.
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