ESPN’s First Take aired live from the NAJB Convention in Cleveland, where Stephen A. Smith pulled no punches about LeBron James’ future in the NBA.
“It has become crystal clear that the weather and Hollywood is the only reason why LeBron is there,” Smith said. “Why don’t you just come back to Cleveland to end your career?”
“This cannot be disputed. He’d have a better chance to win the championship in Cleveland than L.A. … If LeBron James came back to Cleveland, you’re the favorites to come out of the East.”
It’s tough to debate that logic. Smith reiterated the fact that, despite being a massive Donovan Mitchell fan, the Cavs have been unable to get out of the Eastern Conference semifinals in three straight postseasons with him on the roster.
In 2023, the Cavs were unceremoniously bounced in the first round against the New York Knicks. In 2024, the Orlando Magic took them to seven games in the first round, and then they were bounced by the Boston Celtics, who went on to win the NBA title. This past season, they were upset in the second round by the Indiana Pacers in a series that left fans wondering if this young core is even worth keeping together.
That’s the difficult part about adding James — especially because he opted into his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers. The Cavs are the lone team in the dreaded second apron, meaning they cannot aggregate salaries to trade for James. It would take a third team to pull off this maneuver and would mean losing All-Star point guard Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen for a player who turns 41 years old this season.
But you could argue that in three straight postseasons, Garland and Allen have been more hurt than help to the Cavaliers. Garland’s flashy, dead-eye shooting is fun in the regular season, but his small stature makes him a bad defensive matchup, and he’s been injured in the postseason. Allen is a traditional NBA center who can’t shoot or move his feet to the perimeter defensively, making him a mismatch nightmare at times as well.
While James has not found postseason success with the Lakers in recent years, a trio of the kid from Akron, Mitchell and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley would be a real threat to win a title.
Let’s not act like James is some traditional 40-year-old NBA player — he was a top 10 player in the league last year. And while the Cavs have not found sustained postseason success, they have a nice young nucleus and a serviceable supporting cast to help shoulder the load.
This offseason, Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman decided to take the route of getting better at the margins. They traded Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball — seemingly a nice upgrade as long as Ball can stay healthy. They added old friend Larry Nance Jr., who has added a jumper to his arsenal since his departure from the Cavs in 2021.
While Altman’s moves were not splashy, the reports surrounding potential trades that didn’t happen would have sent shockwaves through the Association. According to reports, Garland was a centerpiece of Cleveland’s trade talks with the Phoenix Suns for NBA legend Kevin Durant. Also, the Cavs were rumored to be one of four teams who called Rich Paul about a trade for James.
It feels like a reunion is certainly possible. Even if a trade isn’t feasible this offseason, the writing is on the wall that James’ time in Los Angeles is just about expired. You can certainly see a world where the Cavs draft Bryce James in the 2026 NBA Draft and LeBron returns home for a farewell tour of an iconic career.