By most accounts, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers had a good season without each other.
James, even at age 41, made the All-Star team (his record-setting 22nd) while averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. The Cavs finally broke through to the Eastern Conference Finals in the Donovan Mitchell era.
So why should both parties feel awful about the way their years ended?
Both James and the Cavaliers were swept out of the playoffs, an embarrassing finale for player and team who began the year with championship aspirations. Cleveland is potentially running out of time with this core. For James, every year could be his last.
After decades of the Cavs needing James to have any hope of relevancy, the pendulum has now begun to swing in the opposite direction. Staying in Los Angeles in a brutal Western Conference as a third option on his own team doesn’t seem like an ideal end to James’ legendary career.
James and the Cavs need each other for one final curtain call.
Why LeBron James Needs the Cavaliers
As enticing as the beaches and skyscrapers of Los Angeles may be, the path to the NBA Finals in the West is likely to be blocked by the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs for the remainder of James’ career.
Star players, James included, should do everything in their power to get to the Eastern Conference.
Remarkably, James has reached the Finals in the last eight straight years he played in the East and nine of 12 overall. Compare this to his Lakers tenure, where the four-time MVP has made one Finals appearance in eight years, the 2020 bubble.
The East has some good teams in the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and Cavaliers, although none are a budding dynasty like OKC and San Antonio.
If James indeed feels like the Lakers have taken him for granted while turning him into a third option behind Austin Reaves, there’s still an area of the country where he’s loved more than any other.
Cleveland, and Northeast Ohio in general, will always be home.
James was visibly emotional when the Cavs played a tribute video for him earlier this season, although a reunion now would be as much about the future as the past.
The 41-year-old can still play at a high level and is a strong fit with this current Cavaliers group. He doesn’t have to be the main scoring option with Donovan Mitchell around, but can still play a No. 2 role. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen provide a strong defensive line behind him and there’s enough shooting with Sam Merrill, Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson and others for James to surround himself with.
After Kenny Atkinson kept flip-flopping starters at small forward all postseason, James slides right in as the Cavs answer at the position.
Why the Cavaliers Need LeBron James
Getting to the East Finals for the first time since 1992 without James was great. Getting swept by the Knicks in such a humbling fashion proved the Cavs still have a long way to go to be title-worthy.
Cleveland needs guys who can step up when the lights are brightest and rally a team that just came off a soul-crushing loss to overcome previously impossible odds. Someone the team can look to and say “they’ve been here and done this before.”
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, for all of their strengths, don’t inspire this same confidence.
James is a four-time champion and the all-time leading playoff scorer. He’s played in a perfect 302 of 302 postseason games, never missing a contest due to injury while averaging 28.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
Cleveland no longer needs James to throw the team on his back, but rather to just help guide them to a place they’ve never been without him.
The Cavs are no longer a fun, up-and-coming team with a young core. Making the foolish trade for Harden while giving up a 26-year-old Darius Garland helped cement that. This is an all-in situation for Cleveland, a franchise that should (for the third time) be hoping to land James.
The Knicks just showed us the path to win a championship. Get through the East as quickly as possible while watching the Thunder and Spurs slug their way through a grueling six or seven-game series and hope for the best.
The Cavaliers aren’t good enough. James could get them title-ready.
How LeBron James Can End Up In Cleveland
James is about to become an unrestricted free agent, which means coming to Cleveland is going to be extremely tricky if he still wants to get paid.
The Cavs are the NBA’s only team in the second apron (currently projected at $3.4 million above), meaning they can only sign players to a veteran minimum deal. For James, a veteran with 10-plus years of service, this means $3.9 million, a nearly $50 million drop in pay from this past year’s salary.
Cleveland could also look to shed salary and get under the second apron, opening up the taxpayer mid-level exception for James to sign. Still, this is valued at just over $6 million.
The only way for James to be properly compensated is through a sign-and-trade.
Teams receiving a player via sign-and-trade are hard capped at the first apron, however, a line the Cavs are currently $16.1 million above. Cleveland could get under this line by negotiating a new deal with Harden where he declines his $42.3 million player option and signs a new multi-year deal at a much lower number. Only $13.3 million of this money is guaranteed, however, meaning the Cavs could waive Harden even if he picks his option up and save nearly $30 million by releasing him instead.
A sign-and-trade would also involve salaries going out, however, meaning Jarrett Allen, Strus, Dennis Schröder or a combination of players would need to be involved.
The easiest and cleanest path is for James to take a massive paycut, which he understandably may not want to do.
If he truly wants to get out of the West, find a place he can win a title, be appreciated and wind down the end of perhaps the greatest career we’ve ever seen, James should come back to Cleveland for one final bow.
