As Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James enters the final act of his unprecedented 23+ year Hall-of-Fame career, a storybook ending with the Cleveland Cavs is still attainable. However, it won’t be easy. After the New York Knicks swept the Cavs out of the playoffs, improving the roster to compete for a title is a must. And while rumors surrounding a potential trade for Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo continue, is James the true missing piece?
Many obstacles stand in the way of what could be the next Big 3 in Cleveland, alongside All-Star Donovan Mitchell, and potentially Antetokounmpo, including James Harden’s contract extension. Years removed from the NBA’s super-team era, the front office’s valuation of Evan Mobley, the unrestricted free-agent market, and salary-cap hurdles will factor into a busy offseason.
The only way we’ll see LeBron reunite with the Cavs is if he sets the plan into motion by showing interest in coming back. Then, could James convince Harden to take a pay cut for an opportunity to win a championship in 2026-27? Would the Cavs consider cutting ties with Mobley — their young and promising starting center — in a potential sign-and-trade that could land them James and Antetokounmpo?
There are questions the Cavs front office would have to ask themselves if James were to suddenly express a desire to come back to The Land. If so, the Cavs should pursue ways to maximize LeBron’s return to help the franchise compete for its second championship, the first since James led the Cavs back from the Golden State Warriors’ 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Koby Altman on Evan Mobley’s value to Cavs
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Cavs GM Koby Altman praised Evan Mobley during his press conference, leaving many to believe he’s perhaps not willing to trade his starting center yet, potentially gambling away the Cavs’ future for older players such as the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Lakers’ LeBron James. Altman truly believes in his core despite its disappointing finish in the Eastern Conference Finals.
During his press conference, Altman was adamant about doing his best to build around All-Star Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Mobley.
“I’m not going to speculate on any players outside these walls,” Altman said. “All I can tell you is, since Evan’s been here, we’ve had the third-best record in the league for five years.
“Now, we don’t have a championship to show for that yet, right? Boston and Denver, the other two ahead of us, they have a championship to show for that, but all Evan has done is impact winning. He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent the last five years. He’s a huge part of what we do.”
Altman’s advocacy for Mobley speaks volumes when you consider that his contract would have to be included in a trade for Antetokounmpo or in a potential sign-and-trade with the Lakers for James. Heading into what could be the last time he’s a free agent, LeBron controls his own destiny, but without him speaking out about going home, the Cavs front office will prioritize making changes around the edges.
However, if James likes the idea of playing alongside Mitchell and Antetokounmpo in Cleveland, he’ll be the first domino to fall, but with Giannis under contract, nothing’s guaranteed. The Bucks control Antetokounmpo’s destiny, and with a loaded draft class coming in June, could be compelled to make a move sooner rather than later.
Evan Mobley enough for Cavs to land Giannis Antetokounmpo?
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Cavs bringing back LeBron James for one more title run before he retires would be a perfect ending to the Akron native’s Hall of Fame career, but the front office will have to meet him halfway during the offseason. One NBA analyst believes the only way to entice James would be trading for Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
While the Bucks front office is reportedly dead set on trading Antetokounmpo this summer, Cavs’ Evan Mobley has been mentioned as a potential target, which is why the Cavs should give the move some serious thought, according to Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh.
“I could see a scenario in which [the Cavs] call up the Milwaukee Bucks and say, ‘Hey, will Evan Mobley and a first-round pick do it to get Giannis Antetokounmpo?’ And then you turn around, and you say, ‘Lebron. You could come back home for a farewell tour, or try to win a championship in the Eastern Conference like you did before,’” explained Haberstroh…
“I do think that the Cavs could end this offseason with not just LeBron but Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade for Evan Mobley.”
If the Cavs were to make a trade for Antetokounmpo, it would not only increase the likelihood of James heading back to the team that drafted him in 2003 but also make the Cavs instant title contenders with LeBron as the next potential shoe to drop.