The NBA Playoffs has not even begun, but rumors for a LeBron James reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers is already surging across the league.
As the Los Angeles Lakers shift to a Luka Doncic future, James' final NBA seasons could include another move. At 41 years old, LeBron is still averaging 20.6 points, 6.9 assists and 6 rebounds and earned his 22nd All-Star appearance.
With James entering free agency this summer, plenty of buzz has arisen surrounding his future. His relationship with the Lakers has been questionable at best, leading to another round of rumors that he could return to his hometown Cavaliers one final time. James has been linked to the Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks as all three teams eye a potential NBA Finals run.
For Cleveland, the draw is obvious. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell are the league's hottest new backcourt duo, and the possible addition of James would immediately catapult the Cavs to the top of the league's power rankings, especially with a talented supporting cast already in place.
Although other aspiring contenders like Dallas and Golden State will battle for LeBron, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints recently suggested that the Cavs are the only team likely to have a chance at stealing James from LA.
"James, who has been linked to the Warriors for years now, will once again hear his name in connection with Curry and Green. However, league sources have downplayed the possibility of LeBron leaving the Los Angeles Lakers to join Golden State, with the expectation around the NBA being that he will ultimately join the Cleveland Cavaliers for one final season."Brett Siegel
With the chances that James reunites with his Ohio roots in a final run for his fifth Finals ring, the Cavs will immediately enter a delicate balancing act between a win-now structure and a future with Evan Mobley at the forefront of the franchise. Mobley had entered the league and instantly became one of the pillars of the Cavaliers' youth movement with his defensive prowess and high potential.
Mobley would take a big loss from a LeBron reunion
Adding James to the Cavs would require the all-time great to take a historic pay cut given Cleveland's position in the second apron. A sign-and-trade is unavailable unless the Cavaliers completely tear down the roster to open enough cap space. Ultimately, James would have to agree to a minimum contract for his final season.
This creates a starting lineup of Harden, Mitchell, James, Mobley and Jarrett Allen. After years with Mobley at the nucleus of a young core, the Cavs are quickly shifting into a veteran-led franchise. Trading Darius Garland at the deadline for Harden, Cleveland's priorities are moving away from Mobley's development in favor of winning now or never.
The Cavaliers showed a growing impatience with the previous core's lacking growth after numerous postseason failures and constant injury woes. After earning his first All-Star and All-NBA nod last season, Mobley fell back into former offensive habits. His three-point shooting slumped this season, and his standing with the Cavs is clearly less stable than before.
James' arrival pushes Mobley far down the Cavaliers' pecking order. Already, Mobley has seen a marginal decline in usage with Harden. The 36-year-old veteran enjoyed an immediate connection with Allen, a move that has given rise to the veteran center's offensive role.
While Mobley is also embracing Harden's playmaking genius, a LeBron reunion might push his development into the background. Mobley would become a fourth option at best, often times the last man on the offensive priority list, a struggle that could change Mobley's individual accolades and growth.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are still waiting to discover what Mobley's peak will look like, but pushing Mobley behind three Hall of Fame veterans would put an indefinite halt on that discovery. Mobley might be one of the league's greatest defensive bigs, but he might never fully uncover his offensive potential if he becomes an afterthought.