Could LeBron James end his career in Believeland?

Nov 25, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) passes as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and forward Isaac Okoro (35) defend during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

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LeBron James is getting set to hit the free-agent market this offseason, and while the general consensus is that he will re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, there are some who believe he could potentially return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

To be clear, this is all conjecture at this point. James has given absolutely no indication that he is even considering the Cavaliers, and he hasn’t even really demonstrated that he is open to leaving Los Angeles. Not publicly, anyway. As a matter of fact, Rich Paul already shot down a rumor that James could be interested in teaming up with Kevin Durant in Phoenix on a veteran’s minimum deal.

So, the idea of LeBron turning down a $51.4 million player option to re-join Cleveland on a minimum contract is probably nothing more than a pipe dream. Is it possible James would do it for the Cavs and not the Suns? Maybe, considering Believeland certainly holds a special place in the superstar’s heart, but the chances still seem minuscule, at best.

How, then, could the Cavaliers bag James, and would it even be in the franchise’s best interest to do so at this point of the 39-year-old’s career?

Only one truly realistic option exists: a sign-and-trade.

There is a world—albeit, a bizarre one—in which Cleveland could send Darius Garland and other pieces to the Lakers in exchange for James, which would allow the Cavs to absorb the money they would have to pay him.

Obviously, this is a very rough draft of a possible trade package. We have no idea what Los Angeles would want in return for LeBron in a hypothetical deal, but if James forced the Lakers’ hand, the Cavaliers might be able to acquire him without completely gutting their roster.

But would it really be the right move for a Cleveland organization that finally appears to be headed in the right direction for the first time since James’ second departure in 2018?

As strange as it sounds, probably not.

James turns 40 years old next December. He has exhibited considerable signs of wear and tear since joining the Lakers, with the 2023-24 campaign representing the only time he has played in 70 games for the club. Three times, he has participated in less than 60.

And while James is still one of the best players in basketball, he has demonstrated clear slippage (he has averaged less than .200 win shares per 48 minutes five times over the last six years) and may end up falling off the proverbial “cliff” at some point in the near future.

The Cavs are building something with their core four of Donovan Mitchell, Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. They may very well have to part with two of Garland, Allen and Mobley in order to pry James away from LA, and that does not seem too advisable.

This is a very young and talented team, and even Mitchell seems impressed with the progress, which is why reports say he is leaning toward signing an extension with the club.

Sure, the idea of a Mitchell-James pairing sounds tantalizing, but James comes with substantial injury risk at this point of his career, and it seems hard to imagine that duo beating a healthy Boston Celtics team in a seven-game series. Case in point, James has been unable to get by the Denver Nuggets with Anthony Davis as a teammate the last two seasons.

It may be hard for many to accept after watching him dominate for two decades, but the fact of the matter is that LeBron—while still terrific—is not quite the same player anymore. The days of him overwhelming opponents for 35-40 minutes every night are gone. At his old age, James now has to pick his spots, and we see what that has led to the past four seasons: a lone Western Conference finals appearance, a pair of unceremonious first-round exits and one year where the Lakers missed the playoffs entirely.

When James made his way back to Cleveland in 2014, it was different. He was still in the prime of his career, and he was able to lead the Cavs to a championship after just two years. But LeBron is a full decade older this time around. It just doesn’t make much sense.

Now, if the Cavaliers can somehow land James without having to surrender multiple key pieces? Then by all means, sure. And if they can summon a parallel universe where they can convince LeBron to sign for the veteran’s minimum? Well, then obviously. All aboard.

But the chances of either of those two avenues presenting themselves seem rather minute, and again, we don’t even know if James would even entertain the idea of returning to Cleveland—or leaving Hollywood in general—to begin with.