If Lakers call it quits, should the Cavs trade for LeBron?

Should the Cavs trade for other Lakers? Other final thoughts

What if the Lakers call the Cavaliers about trading another player? The makeup of the Cavs means there probably isn’t much of a path to a deal. The Cavs are ready to win now, recent losing streak notwithstanding; moving contracts for Russell Westbrook and two lucrative picks is a move the Cavs could have made before the Donovan Mitchell trade, but doesn’t make sense now.

Similarly, a deal for Anthony Davis probably doesn’t work for either side. The Cavs don’t have draft capital to send back to the Lakers alongside someone like Jarrett Allen, and it’s not clear just how much of an upgrade Davis would be for the Cavs over Allen anyway. The Lakers don’t have a 3-and-D wing to sell off either, which is the one true weakness the Cavs have on their roster.

At the end of the day, a deal of any kind between the two teams is unlikely. Even so, if the possibility of trading for the greatest player in franchise history comes up, the Cavs have to talk about it. How incredible would it be for James to arrive back in Cleveland and help to win one last title for his hometown team in his final chapter?

The problem is that the team the Cavs have built now is too good. They have five players all playing a crucial role, and they have reinforcements coming by way of Ricky Rubio. To make a deal for LeBron James may spike their ability to contend now, but that window will close a lot faster than the one the Cavs have built themselves. Bringing back LeBron James is a fun idea, but for the first time in history the Cavs’ best chance at success might be without him.