The Cavs and their fans are still waiting to see what’s next for LeBron James.
With current star Donovan Mitchell agreeing to a four-year, $273 million extension, attention now turns to whether James could come back to Cleveland. Again.
NBA free agents began officially signing new deals July 1. James told the Los Angeles Lakers on June 30 that he would not return after eight seasons, sparking speculation about where the NBA’s all-time leading scorer will play his record 24th season.
Cleveland is a possibility, where the Akron native played from 2003-2010 and again from 2014-2018, delivering the Cavaliers’ first NBA championship in 2016.
Ideastream Public Media sports commentator Terry Pluto said James has taken different amounts of time to make major free agency decisions throughout his career. He announced his move from Cleveland to Miami on July 8, 2010, and his return to the Cavaliers on July 11, 2014. When he left Cleveland for the Lakers in 2018, he made the decision quickly, announcing the move on July 1.
“So, here we are (in the) summer of 2026," Pluto said. "Just think (about) the time that’s past and (we’re) still waiting on LeBron."
Pluto says a Cavaliers reunion would make sense for James.
“(It's) the one place LeBron can go where he'd be immediately embraced," Pluto said. "(It’s) a place where he will always be the local hero, the kid from Akron who took the Cavs to the title in 2016. And I think that appeals to LeBron.”
Fans have spotted James around Summit County in recent weeks, adding to the speculation. Pluto said James has long maintained ties to his hometown area and frequently returns to Northeast Ohio.
“Actually, it'd be kind of a bummer at this point to a lot of people in this area if he decided to go somewhere else,” Pluto said.
As for the Cavs, Pluto believes a James reunion would create a challenge for head coach Kenny Atkinson.
“He's going to have to convince his two other stars, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, that they've got to figure out how to share the ball here and everything else,” Pluto said.
But Pluto said the Cavs are looking for answers after their playoff exit in the Eastern Conference Finals.
“I think there was a feeling on the Cavs part too, that when they got wiped out by the Knicks, we've got to see if we could do something else,” Pluto said. “And really, they haven't made any new moves. So, it seemed like they were kind of waiting to see what LeBron would do.”
Pluto said a third stint in Cleveland would look much different than James’ last return to the Cavaliers.
“He is not the same LeBron James who came to Cleveland in 2014 and just turned the Cavs basically into an Eastern Conference super power and I hope fans are not expecting that from him at the age of 41,” Pluto said.
Pluto said despite questions about James’ age and role, a return to Cleveland would carry a different meaning than anywhere else.
“If he comes back to Cleveland (and) they win another title, I mean, holy cow, that would be as big as anything," Pluto said. "There's only really one place that's home for him, and that's here. One place that would grant him more grace and more patience than anywhere else he could go, and that also was Cleveland.”
Regardless of what happens, Pluto said the possibility of James coming back to Cleveland has all the elements of a fascinating sports story.
“It will be fascinating because LeBron already, once he passed like (age) 37 and kept performing so well, he's making NBA history all the time because of his longevity," Pluto said. "Can he do it one more time? Basically, is there some more juice in him to be able to take one last team to the finals in Cleveland? I mean, that is a compelling story. And so, we wait.”
