Cavs Interested in Signing LeBron James After Lakers Stint

With the 2025-26 NBA season beyond the halfway point for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, there are still a lot of questions and speculation about what the future holds for superstar LeBron James.

The four-time NBA champion has been reluctant to share his plans beyond this season, leaving the door open to return for one more year with the Lakers, another team in the league or simply call it a career after a record-setting 23rd campaign.

Cavs Open to LeBron Farewell Tour in Cleveland Next Season

Even though James has made no indication whether he'll continue playing or retire after this season, he already has a couple of options if he decides to test NBA free agency and choose where he'll potentially end his incredible playing career. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who drafted James No. 1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, have just become an option for the future Hall of Famer, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Multiple team and league sources told ESPN the Cavaliers would gladly welcome James back this summer if he wanted to return to Cleveland for his 24th NBA season and third stint with the team.

James finishing his career with the Cavs seems fitting, as that is where it all began, and Cleveland is his hometown, so there's a shot at a storybook ending, especially considering the team's roster is pretty talented, headlined by Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.

Along with the Cavs emerging as a potential destination once his stint with the Lakers is officially over, which seems to be where things are headed in Los Angeles, the Golden State Warriors are also an option, as a report recently claimed that the team would be interested in signing James as a free agent to play alongside Stephen Curry. Golden State has also been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who now appears to be on the verge of getting traded before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5 or during the summer, where the Lakers might also make a run at the two-time NBA MVP.

With so much basketball left to be played in the 2025-26 campaign and rumors and speculation swirling on a daily basis when it comes to the Lakers, there's no telling where James might land if he intends to continue his playing career, but it appears he's definitely got some intriguing options, which will certainly make things interesting this summer.