After the Cleveland Cavaliers smoked the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in the year during LeBron James' visit back home, Jaylon Tyson loudly proclaimed that it was Donovan Mitchell's city now. That was never true, though, was it?
That should not be taken as a slight at Mitchell either. There is an argument in favor of him being the second greatest Cavalier in franchise history. The current centerpiece of the Cavs is just not LeBron. There are some players who are synonymous with a place or team. James and Cleveland are one of those duos.
Even his old general manager understands that now. During an appearance for FanDuel's BIGPLAY Cleveland Show, David Griffin admitted he understood now what he didn't in its full capacity back then. There is just so much behind the LeBron-Cleveland dynamic.
"Northeast Ohio means so much to him," Griffin said of James. "It would be surprising to me on some level that he didn't want to [return]. ... The theater of it excites me. I just don't think people get the magnitude of this. And certainly I didn't while it was happening."
LeBron could have a picture-perfect send-off with Cleveland Cavaliers
Griffin added that while he had a 'gratitude' back in the day, the former Cavs general manager never had an understanding of the depth. Griffin now thought James would sacrifice whatever it took to win a title in Cleveland again.
That, to him, was special. It was something that a franchise should want in their building.
To the hopes of all those who feel the same, the Cavaliers do reportedly view the situation in a similar way. ESPN insider Dave McMenamin confirmed Cleveland's interest in a reunion around the time of James' regular-season matchup against the Cavs.
It's a waiting game at this point.
The first priority in Cleveland will be winning a championship this season. If the Cavaliers fall short of that goal, the idea of James returning will only have more momentum to it.
From LeBron's perspective, imagine having this great team fall just short of a title and being the added factor that puts the Cavs over the top. That is as perfect of an ending as James could ask for to his career.
For the Cavaliers, bringing back the franchise legend does not really have a downside. You get the potential boost to the win column. You get the box office farewell tour. You continue to show Donovan Mitchell your desire to invest in his window with Cleveland.
The talks of a reunion are only going to get louder for both sides the closer the calendar pushes to the offseason. Many are already welcoming the idea of cranking up the volume to the max on these discussions. It just makes too much sense for everyone involved.