Insider Explains Why Cavaliers Might Finally Consider 'Storybook' Reunion with LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers have been at the forefront of most things this NBA offseason.

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The Lakers are usually almost always the talk of the town, and this summer has been no different. Los Angeles was expected to make some massive moves this offseason, and while they have made some moves, they have not been league-altering.

Although that is the case, the Lakers still hold two of the top 15, or at worst, the top 20 players in the league: Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

Doncic is the present and future of the Lakers. The 26-year-old is expected to sign a multi-year extension with the club and remain a Laker for the rest of his career.

As for James, his future with the Lakers might still be in limbo. In the past few weeks, rumors circulated that he might request a trade and potentially finish his career elsewhere.

However, as we enter the month of August, the likelihood of him staying in Los Angeles is higher than it's ever been this summer.

While that is the case, NBA insider Marc Stein believes that James finishing off his career as a Cleveland Cavalier is still a possibility.

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"I believe that a third stint with the Cavaliers would be the closest thing to a storybook ending should James indeed decide that he wants to play on in 2026-27, but it's unclear how open Cleveland would actually be to such a reunion. Before last season's second-round flameout, I was pretty sure that the Cavaliers did not want anything to do with a third act, remembering how the two previous runs — spanning seven seasons and then four seasons — forced Planet Cavs to revolve completely around James. Now? The Cavaliers couldn't trade for James even if they wanted to, since their luxury tax bill has them stuck in the second apron, but I do wonder if they have warmed to the idea of another reunion should it ever become possible via offseason free agency."

The Cavaliers have been rumored to be one of the few teams that could make a move for James.

A reunion in Cleveland could be what he wants. James spent the first seven years of his career with his hometown team and a total of 11 seasons in Northeast Ohio.

However, James has been relatively quiet on that front and with that, it could be safe to assume that the 21-time All-Star will play his 23rd season as a member of the purple and gold.

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