LeBron James Returning to Cleveland Feels More Real Than Ever

The Los Angeles Lakers ended their season on Monday night, after getting swept by the Thunder, losing game four 115-110. Without Luka Doncic, the Thunder just had too much firepower for 41-year-old LeBron James and company to handle, and that leads to some very tough questions.

LeBron proved once again that there is absolutely still gas left in the tank, willing the injury-riddled Lakers past the Rockets in round one; however, it’s too early to say where he will be playing basketball at the start of next season.

Of course, James might have played the final game of his illustrious career, but I would be quite shocked if that’s the case. Kalshi really only has three teams with legitimate chances of signing LeBron. There’s a 58% chance he returns to the Lakers or retires, 24% chance he has one last run in Cleveland, and a 12% chance he partners up with Steph Curry in Golden State.

The final option seems unlikely, and I really only think there are two options for James at this point in his career.

Los Angeles has not seemed all that interested in retaining LeBron. Honestly, since acquiring Luka last year, the franchise's future has seemed to shift toward building around him.

Would LeBron go back to the Cavs?

Throughout different points this year, LeBron has been at odds with the Lakers organization. I’m unsure the Lakers would be willing to re-sign LeBron at the $52.6 million he made this season. Even if he takes a decently sized pay cut, I don’t think they’ll be able to find enough in free agency to build a contender in the 2026-27 season.

If LeBron wanted to return to Cleveland, he would also need to take a pay cut to make it happen. Cleveland already has the highest payroll in basketball, and if they plan to run it back with James Harden, that will remain the case.

LeBron could do one thing to open a lot of doors at this point in his career. He could sign a veteran minimum and give himself another chance at a ring. The Players' Association might not let that happen, or at the very least, would be furious if it occurred. But from LeBron’s point of view, he’s made over a billion in his career through playing and endorsements, would he be willing to join a team like Cleveland for cheap and take them back to the promised land?

Personally, I don’t see a world where he stays in Los Angeles unless he’s that sold on the LA lifestyle. Also, just from a million-foot overview of his career, it just makes more sense for him to finish his playing career back in Cleveland.

Lakers’ fans have never fully bought into LeBron as Cleveland fans did. He is, and will always be, the savior of all Cleveland sports with his 2016 title. Partnering with this iteration of the Cavs to make one more run at the finals feels like a storybook ending to his career. Now might be the perfect time to bet on a return to Cleveland, especially with markets as favorable as this towards his return.