LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were quickly eliminated out of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves in just five games. It was a disappointing finish to what was a promising season following the blockbuster trade to acquire Luka Doncic.
Heading into the offseason, there are some questions swirling about James’ future.
Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic have reported that James has not ruled out the idea of finishing his career with a team other than the Lakers.
“So, might James think about finishing his career elsewhere in pursuit of a fifth ring? When posed that question, both league sources close to James and team sources would not rule that possibility out. And that was before the revealing elimination game,” they wrote.
While it’s not incredibly likely that James will leave Los Angeles, where could he go if he does choose to explore other options?
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) on the court during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Ashley Nicole Moss of CBS Sports has suggested that the Cleveland Cavaliers might be a destination who could lure James away from the Lakers. Both the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors were also named as possible suitors.
Joining the Cavaliers would likely be of interest to James. They are his hometown team and the franchise who drafted him. He also returned home and brought the city of Cleveland a championship after he wrapped up his tenure with the Heat.
Add in the fact that the Cavaliers were the best team in the Eastern Conference during the 2024-25 NBA season and the fit looks even more intriguing.
Even at 40 years old, James played in 70 games throughout the 2024-25 campaign. He averaged 24.4 points per game to go along with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and a steal. James also shot 51.3% from the floor and 37.6% from 3-point range.
