LeBron James is once again dominating the headlines, as it appears he could potentially leave the Los Angeles Lakers at some point before next year’s trade deadline. James’ future is up in the air, and NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor thinks the Cleveland Cavaliers should go all-in for him.
“LeBron James to the Cavaliers would require getting under the second apron, which would mean losing Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, and a third guy: probably Max Strus.
“It’s a lot to give up for a player who may not put you over the top and may have only one year left. Then again, Allen has folded in the playoffs and Garland is a tiny guard. Could trading them be a low key salary dump for Cleveland? Then whenever LeBron retires, the front office would have cap flexibility to build next to Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley with better-fitting players than Allen and Garland. So in a strange way, adding LeBron could help optimize their short-term title odds while also helping in the longer term.”
O’Connor acknowledged this would be a complicated deal. At least one more team would have to be involved, along with the Cavaliers and Lakers.
The Cavaliers do have an excuse to go all-out. They finished atop the standings in the East with a 64-18 record in the 2024-25 season, but were blown away in five games by the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Semifinals. While injuries played a part in that, doubts remain about whether this group can deliver in the postseason.
James brings championship pedigree to the Cavaliers, but they would have a very short title window with him. He put up excellent averages of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game in 2024-25, but is a 40-year-old entering his 23rd season.
Even if James, who just opted into his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26, does have gas left in the tank to carry on for a while longer, his wife, Savannah, wants him to retire soon. Is it worth it to give up pieces like Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen in this scenario? It’s hard to say, but O’Connor is bullish. He isn’t the only one who suggested this reunion, either.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons proposed a three-team trade that would see the Cavaliers acquire James. The Utah Jazz are the third team here, and Garland is the only big piece the Cavaliers are giving up in this scenario. This would be a safer option than what O’Connor suggested.
James finishing his career with his hometown Cavaliers, who selected him with the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, would be perfect. He led them to their first and only NBA title in 2016 in historic fashion, and winning another would be incredible.
The Cavaliers have a great chance of getting to the 2026 NBA Finals even if they stay put, due to all the injuries to their competitors in the East. Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard are all out with Achilles tears, which means the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks aren’t going to be threats.
The Cavaliers can either back this current core to roll over a weak Eastern Conference, or they could go for broke and acquire a superstar like James. You can see the pros and cons in both scenarios, and it will be interesting to see what direction the Cavaliers go in.
