In his 23rd NBA season, LeBron James has not yet announced his end-of-career plan. But the Cavaliers have already made it known that they would be keen on a potential last dance for the King in Cleveland.
Will we be entitled to LeBron’s third stint with the Cavs before hanging up his sneakers for good? According to Lakers insider Dave McMenamin, it’s a real possibility if James wants to come home one last time.
“Multiple sources within the team and the league told ESPN that the Cavaliers would be happy to welcome James back this summer if he were interested in returning to Cleveland for his 24th NBA season and third stint with the team. »
The Cleveland Cavaliers are open to having LeBron James finish his career with them, per @mcten pic.twitter.com/4e1kc8oGVi
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 28, 2026
As a reminder, James is currently in the final year of his Lakers contract. He will be a free agent this summer, where he will be able to choose between retiring, potentially extending in Los Angeles, or joining another team to finish his legendary career there.
As of this writing, LeBron has given no real indication of his intentions. However, it’s hard to see him leaving the big stage at the end of this season without a proper farewell tour, and it’s hard to imagine him staying with the Lakers given the recent turbulence with Jeanie Buss. Enough to open the door to a new and final chapter, potentially in the franchise of his native state. Given the Cavs’ current salary situation ($240 million, well above the second apron), LeBron will nevertheless have to accept a low salary to join Donovan Mitchell’s gang.
During his career, James first wore the Cavaliers jersey between 2003 and 2010, then between 2014 and 2018, for five appearances in the NBA Finals and a championship title (2016).
