Remember the incredible run the Cleveland Cavaliers went on at the start of last season? It looked like no one would be able to stop the dynamic backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. But everything came crashing down for the Wine & Gold after their disappointing exit from the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers. Now, with back-to-back early exits from the postseason, changes seem imminent in Cleveland. Amid this, Cleveland has been linked with several players, and one name continues to be at the top of the list.

Of course, we’re talking about Akron native and Los Angeles Lakers superstar, LeBron James. The 40-year-old has been linked with his hometown franchise ever since his agent stated that they wanted to evaluate what’s best for James despite picking up a $52.6 million player option to stay in LA. Although he later clarified his statement, the rumors haven’t stopped since. Many analysts think that they’re might be a chance, even though slim, but a chance that James could head back to Cleveland.

How’s that possible after the No. 23 opted for his player option: Ringing your mind? Well, there’s still a way. Even though it might not make the most sense from a business perspective for the Lakers, they could still buy out LeBron James before the start of their training camp in September, making him a free agent. This would enable the forward to sign with any team of his liking, even the Cavs. However, before you get too excited about this reunion, there are a few roadblocks in the way.

The most notable one being the salary cap; right now, the Cleveland Cavaliers are above the second apron and don’t have any players making the same amount of money as LeBron James. So, even if they wanted to, they couldn’t sign the veteran forward. However, if both parties really want to make a deal work, the only way is by Cleveland sacrificing a few of its players and getting under the second apron. This must give you a clear idea of what needs to be done if the Cavaliers want the King to rejoin them.

Although bringing James to Ohio seems a bit far-fetched for now, that doesn’t mean that the Wine & Gold’s front office doesn’t have other things to worry about, as calls urge them to move on from their backcourt duo.

NBA Insider suggests Cavs break up Mitchell-Garland backcourt partnership

Bringing in LeBron James isn’t the only change that is brewing in Cleveland; the Cavaliers are also looking at other ways to bolster their ranks. However, before they stock up on some new talent, the Cleveland Cavaliers need to offload a few of their stars to make some much-needed space in the salary cap. Amid this, one name is being tossed around almost every rumor surrounding the franchise: Darius Garland. Although the Wine & Gold have a few tradable assets, no one could fetch them more value than Donovan Mitchell’s partner.

Not just that, a NBA Insider also thinks that this backcourt partnership isn’t yielding the results they were brought to Cleveland for. During the latest edition of his show, Kevin O’Connor expressed how he feels the Cavs should go about their offseason. “I think them and New York are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, but there’s a big difference between regular season and as far as what you get into the playoffs. There’s a reason why Garland, Mitchell, arguably, should be split up.” He said.

The analyst pointed out that Cleveland and New York are probably the best teams in the Eastern Conference next season. Of course, this has to do with the Boston Celtics losing Jayson Tatum and the Pacers losing their superstar, Tyrese Haliburton. However, the Cavaliers cannot make the most of this opportunity next season until they part ways with Darius Garland, according to O’Connor. He does have a point, given, Garland and Mitchell haven’t been able to hit the heights they’re expected to after having two stunning regular seasons.

In fact, O’Connor took things up a notch, suggesting that the Cavaliers will not win a championship with those two in the backcourt. “I just don’t know if Garland, Mitchell, and then Allen, Mobley are the right parents for them to actually be a championship team, which is why they’re having these high-level conversations about what to do,” O’Connor stated. Although all of the players he mentioned have been phenomenal individually, it’s hard to argue with the O’Connor given this core has failed to replicate those performances in the playoffs.

Now, that doesn’t mean that the Cavs should entirely scratch their project and build from the start. We mean, they’ve been consistently putting in great stretches in the regular season. However, they might have to make a few tweaks to their roster, because it appears that this core of players isn’t enough to get them over the line. Will the Cavaliers do so? That’s a question everyone wants an answer to as we wait and watch how things unfold in Cleveland.