Is this LeBron James' final year in the NBA? If the basis for that decision comes down what is left in the tank for the on-court product, the answer would probably be no. So, what happens next if the NBA legend decides to extend his playing days for at least one more year?
Zach Lowe thought a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers still makes a ton of sense. The NBA analyst discussed as much during a recent episode of his podcast.
"Cleveland retirement tour, I could see it," Lowe said on his show. "I'm going with Cleveland."
There was chatter about which teams really made sense for James' final season. The Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers really stood firm as the main two teams that appeared realistic. There was some chatter about the Golden State Warriors as well, but it was shut down pretty quickly.
Cavaliers are still the dream destination to close LeBron's legendary career
One of the things that was brought up in the discussion had on the podcast was the statement made by Rich Paul during the summer after James picked up his player option with the Lakers. For those who need a refresher, Paul told the world LeBron wanted to compete for championships in his remaining years.
Do the Cavaliers give him a better opportunity to do so than the Lakers? That is currently a tough sell.
Los Angeles has been incredibly flawed this season. Their defense has been abysmal. Even so, they still boast a 23-14 record. They have gone as high as the second seed in the Western Conference in 2025-26.
This offseason will give the Lakers an opportunity to utilize their financial flexibility to retool. Adding James back into the fold after doing so should yield a strong team in Los Angeles.
The thing that is starting to work in the Cavaliers' favor is the financial aspect of it. Cleveland is naturally hamstrung by their second apron nightmare. However, few developments would indicate the Lakers are readying themselves to spend big on LeBron. Some have suggested James would need to take less money to stick around.
Depending on the exact size of the discount, the Lakers may not have much over the Cavaliers there. So, could Cleveland give James the better basketball situation?
Even with a premium discount on his part, they would still need to do some major remodeling in the summer. They cannot keep things as is and expect LeBron to be the difference for them — not with how this season has played out.
The Cavaliers must sell themselves as the superior winning environment. The nostalgia tour is a huge advantage working in their favor. If the financials are more or less similar, the chance for one last title must be the difference-maker.