LeBron James returned to Cleveland Wednesday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 129-99. It was his only visit of the 2025-26 season, but the Cavs could be seeing him a lot more next season.

James will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 and his current team seems poised to move forward centered around Luka Doncic. There's no guarantee the NBA's all-time scoring leader will leave the Lakers, or even play next season, but the Cavs might be James' best alternative.

Los Angeles Lakers aren't centered around LeBron James

While he's still playing well at age 41 (22 points, 6.7 assists per game), it's clear that LeBron James is no longer the primary focus of the Lakers organization. The Lakers didn't offer him an extension last summer, months after they traded James' best friend on the team and fellow Klutch Sports client, Anthony Davis. A recent investigative report by ESPN's Baxter Holmes revealed that team governor Jeanie Buss had grown tired of James' "oversized ego."

That means James can become a free agent after this season. A midseason trade is unlikely, given that James makes $52.6M and the Lakers are still fifth in the Western Conference. But in the summer, James and the Lakers might well part ways, and Cleveland is one of the few destinations that make sense for James.

He clearly still has affection for his old home, tearing up when the Cavaliers played a tribute video for him in the third quarter Wednesday.

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