Nov 25, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang (20) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Report: LeBron James's Return to Cleveland to Face Cavaliers Has Been Revealed

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 12:20 PM ET

It's NBA schedule week and soon enough, the Cleveland Cavaliers will know how their 82-game schedule will shake out. But that's not stopping some details on Cleveland's regular season slate from popping up before then.

After learning that they will face the New York Knicks on Christmas Day, reports from ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin revealed that franchise legend LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Wednesday, January 26, 2026. Gametime and where to watch the matchup have yet to be determined. However, whenever James comes to town, national TV cameras follow, especially with the Cavaliers expected to repeat last season's dominance.

The Los Angeles Lakers play on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 28, sources told ESPN. It is LeBron James’ lone trip back to The Land on the schedule and this one comes 10 years after capturing the 2016 NBA championship with the Cavs.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) August 9, 2025

The reason why the Cavaliers will only see James at home once during the regular season is due to how the NBA schedule is structured. During their 82-game regular season grind, Cleveland, as an Eastern Conference team, is always guaranteed one home and one away game against a Western Conference team. So, while that format does factor into 36.5 percent of their schedule, it only allows for James and the Lakers to visit once during the regular season.

This is more than a game, it's a celebration when the Cavaliers host LeBron James and the Lakers

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Adding further national intrigue, as McMenamin noted, is the fact that this upcoming season will be the 10-year anniversary of Cleveland's 2016 NBA Championship, something James was instrumental to in winning. With the team likely celebrating their lone title all throughout next season, planning an even bigger celebration for when James makes his lone appearance in Cleveland will probably be in the works.

With James leading the charge, flanked by Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavaliers were able to do the seemingly improbable in the 2016 NBA Finals. Facing a 3-1 deficit to the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland was able to win three games in a row to become the first team in NBA history to win a championship despite such insurmountable odds.

It also was the first championship that the City of Cleveland had seen since 1964, when the Cleveland Browns defeated the then Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the NFL Championship Game. With a fifty-plus year drought finally ended, James and the Cavaliers excised Cleveland's curse and, in turn, made Cleveland a City of Champions once again.

So with James back in town, it's more than just a game. It's a reason for Cleveland to celebrate one of the Cavaliers all-time greats and, for one night, relive his heroics on the court that won the city's first championship in 52 years.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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