LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on March 23, 2026.

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against the Detroit Pistons on March 23, 2026. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers Share Mutual Interest In Reunion

Ashish MathurMay 19, 2026 8:04 PMMay 19, 2026 8:09 PM

DHJ Quick Take: Potential Cleveland, LeBron Reunion

Mutual Interest: Reports indicate that LeBron James and the Cavaliers share a mutual interest in a reunion this summer as the superstar enters unrestricted free agency for the first time since 2018.
Final Chapter: If the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer decides against retirement, league insiders view a return to his hometown team for a third and final stint or re-signing with the Lakers as his most likely options.
Historic Legacy: A return would bring James back to the franchise where he already won two MVPs and a championship, cementing a legendary history where he averaged 27.2 points per game across his previous stints.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers share mutual interest in a reunion this summer, according to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson.

James becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time since 2018. If the future Hall of Famer doesn’t retire from the NBA, he’s widely expected to either re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers or return to his hometown Cavaliers for a third and final stint.

In two stints with the Cavaliers, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in the regular season and 30.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in the playoffs. The Akron native won two MVPs, one championship and one Finals MVP and made 10 All-Star teams with the Wine and Gold.

The 2015-16 Cavaliers, led by James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, defeated the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals in seven games. That Cleveland squad is the only team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals. James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per game in the series en route to winning Finals MVP.

While golfing with Bob Does Sports, James, 41, talked about how special the 2016 NBA championship was.

“Winning the first one was more weight off my shoulders, but winning in Cleveland was a goal that I wanted to do,” James said. “I needed to close that chapter and that’s why I went back. I wanted to close that chapter. I always wanted to win one back home and obviously the organization never won one and 50-plus years for the city alone, not winning a championship, not just basketball, but the city alone.

“So me going back there, that was my main mission was like I want to win one for this city and for this state as well. So the first one, weight off my shoulder, it solidified me being what I thought I always was, but the one in Cleveland was probably the most special one.”

James last played for the Cavaliers during the 2017-18 season. Cleveland lost to Golden State in the 2018 NBA Finals in four games and James left home for the Lakers in free agency shortly after.

Arguably the greatest player in NBA history, James is a four-time MVP, four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in points, field goals, games, minutes and wins.

If James doesn’t retire from the NBA this summer, it will be fascinating to see where he’s playing next season. It will likely be the Lakers or Cavaliers, although he has been linked to the Warriors and New York Knicks as well.

A 22-time All-Star, James played in 60 games this regular season for the Lakers. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 51.5% from the field, 31.7% from beyond the arc and 73.7% from the free-throw line.