Being blocked by LeBron James did very little to keep Kendrick Perkins out of the Bron news circuit. Before that infamous fallout, James and Perk were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers. That enables the ESPN analyst with a decent network within the Cavs organization that’s recently undergone a blockbuster shakeup. So he has it on good authority that the Cavs are ready for another superstar signing.

The Cavs just used the trade deadline to get James Harden from the Clippers. Now Perk claims that the team is prepared for LeBron James’ third homecoming.

Perkins claims the current Cavaliers roster is already aggressively maneuvering to bring the Akron Hammer back to Northeast Ohio this offseason. The primary recruiters are reportedly James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, both of whom are determined to turn Cavs from title favorites to immediate contenders by any means necessary.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast, Perkins dropped exclusive intel from the Cleveland locker room. “My sources told me that Donovan Mitchell and James Harden already are starting the push to go and recruit LeBron James this offseason,” Perkins revealed.

He noted that the team went from keeping a door open for Bron to actively pursuing him the moment Harden joined the squad. In his exit statement, Harden explained he left the Clippers for his championship ambitions. The Beard and Spida’s teamup puts the Cavs in immediate title contention but they apparently want the King factor that brought the 2016 banner.

“I’m just telling you, my sources tell me soon as James Harden got on the phone or got around the team, the initial was, ‘Hey, we about to make this run. We about to go all out, but we want LeBron James.'”

However, this potential blockbuster return comes with immense pressure on the team’s current centerpiece, Donovan Mitchell. Despite the front office’s aggressive spending, including a three-year, $150 million contract extension for Spida, Perkins warns that Mitchell’s future may be in jeopardy if results don’t follow. “Donovan Mitchell’s a– on the clock, too, by the way,” Perkins stated emphatically.

He even argued that the franchise has provided Mitchell with a better supporting cast than they ever gave James during his first stint. If they get their homegrown superstar back, Mitchell and Harden have no excuse to not get a second banner.

Cleveland’s LeBron James history puts Donovan Mitchell on a tightrope

Cleveland youngster, Jaylon Tyson offended the Internet by claiming it’s “Donovan Mitchell’s city” now. It was Donovan who corrected the narrative that it’s still very much LeBron James’ stronghold. But it’s hard not to see whyTyson would think so.

Perkins previously claimed that the team fired head coach JB Bickerstaff because Mitchell was unhappy with his tactics. He even said that they got him Deandre Hunter to reinforce the offense. They’ve done a lot more to ensure that history with LeBron James going to Miami in 2010 didn’t repeat.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers has done more, meaning made more trades, whatever it takes of surrounding Donovan Mitchell to be successful than they did for LeBron James. That’s right. They have,” Perkins reitered tonight.

When the Lakers played against the Cavs last week, the team reduced King James to tears with an emotional montage and an invite back to his old stomping grounds. But at the same time, the Lakers announced they’re sticking with the no-trade clause to keep James till the end of the season.

Whether he retires after that or goes to another team is up in the air. But a big section of the NBA community has one single fantasy. Its given momentum to a loud campaign in the NBA world for LeBron James to return for his 24th season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team’s trade deadline decisions have made them the only NBA team over the second apron. It’s a huge risk they’ve taken. Whether Bron returns or not, Mitchell still has to make good on everything the team has done for him.