Cleveland has always held a deeper bond with LeBron James beyond the hardwood. He spent his childhood in the shadow of Rocket Arena. Then, the Cavaliers selected him with the No. 1 pick in 2003, launching an iconic NBA chapter. Now, as the franchise aggressively resets its roster, timing aligns with James’ current contract outlook. Therefore, a return to the Cavs jersey feels increasingly believable.

For context, LeBron James will be a free agent this summer. He is playing on an expiring contract worth $52.6 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, many voices in the league believe that the 41-year-old has three options ahead of him. First, he used the no-trade clause and remains a Laker in a pay cut. Second, he asks for a trade and moves out. And finally, he retires.

The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd wrote, “If he chooses to play a 24th NBA season, sources close to him said Cleveland would be an obvious destination.” Any future deal would likely fall well short of the $52.6 million he currently receives in Los Angeles. And at 41, he understands the financial landscape could shift if he chooses to keep playing.

Moreover, if James came back for a third and possibly final stint at Cleveland, then “his farewell tour would be with a team expected to compete for a championship.” That move would place him alongside James Harden, his former teammate from the 2012 USA Basketball gold medal run. Donovan Mitchell, who grew up admiring James, and Evan Mobley, who has long held him in high regard.

Now going back to the first week of January, the Cavs’ president, Koby Altman, held a staff-wide Zoom call. The agenda of the meeting was simple: Cleveland faced the wrath of injuries throughout December, and was hovering around .500. Meanwhile, two conclusions came out of the call. First, the players must stop blaming injuries for their losses. And, they weren’t good enough as constructed to contend for a championship.

Therefore, many called for a rigorous change in the roster to save the season. Precisely, Donovan Mitchell has asked for trades ahead of the Feb 5 deadline. Thus, the team made moves. They traded Darius Garland for Harden on Tuesday. Previously, they traded De’Andre Hunter for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder from the Sacramento Kings.

Thus, the insiders believe that if the Cleveland Cavaliers can truly trade for LeBron James at the end of the ongoing season, then their January Zoom call would be a success. Now, financially speaking, are the Cavs in any position to trade for Bron in the offseason?

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Can the Cavaliers go after LeBron James?

Cleveland already carries a massive financial load heading into 2026. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley each sit near $46.4M, James Harden checks in around $39.4M, and Jarrett Allen adds $20M. Therefore, the Cavaliers project a $221.5M tax payroll, nearly $33.6M over the line, with an estimated $119.6M tax bill looming.

However, the path stays open. LeBron James will exit Los Angeles on a $52.6M expiring deal, meaning no assets are required. Meanwhile, Cleveland reshaped its books by moving De’Andre Hunter and adding Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, creating future flexibility. Thus, if Harden or Allen’s money shifts, Cleveland can realistically clear space and welcome James home.

Therefore, a LeBron James homecoming feels believable for the first time in almost a decade. Cleveland would be standing there with open arms, welcoming their hero. Now, it all comes down to what James wants at the end of the season. Remember, retirement is still on the table.