LeBron James has been a member of the Los Angeles Lakers for eight seasons now, but Ohio will always be home.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will always be the team that drafted him, and his NBA championship in 2016 will always go down in history as his sweetest, thanks to the miraculous comeback and the emotions of bringing home the Larry O’Brien trophy.
With the King set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, there have been rumblings that a return home could be in the cards between James and the Cavs.
“Multiple team and league sources told ESPN the Cavaliers would gladly welcome James back this summer if he wanted to return to Cleveland for his 24th NBA season and third stint with the team,” reported ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
But what if Cleveland doesn’t want to wait and would prefer to bring James home to Cleveland for a title run this season?
Cavs Trade Proposal Brings Back LeBron James
In a trade idea first proposed by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, the Cleveland Cavaliers would swing a blockbuster three-team deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz to bring James back into the fold.
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: LeBron James, Bronny James, Adou Thiero
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Lauri Markkanen, Jarrett Allen
Utah Jazz Receive: De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus (via TPE), Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball, Gabe Vincent, 2027 first-round pick (via Lakers, removing 1-4 protection to make unprotected), 2031 first-round pick (via Lakers, top-4 protected)
“The Cavaliers are the only NBA team in the second apron, which would normally mean there’s zero chance of trading for a player like James who is making $52.6 million,” wrote Swartz.
“They are forbidden from aggregating contracts, which means this trade must end with them shedding over $20 million in payroll to get below the second apron line, which it does.”
Thanks to the Jazz, who are currently $43 million below the luxury tax line per Capsheets, the Cavaliers can shed enough salary to make a trade feasible.
They would be subtracting a lot more than adding, but the addition of Bronny James and Adou Thiero would help add to Cleveland’s depth.
But retaining their big stars in Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley is what makes this trade the most palatable, and could allow the Cavs to make this trade knowing they can still compete for a championship.
Why Would the Lakers Make the Deal?
The Los Angeles Lakers are in no rush to trade James; he’s easily their second-best player behind Luka Doncic, and they have championship aspirations of their own.
Fortunately, in this trade idea, they land a few pieces that complement Doncic better on the court, and help them continue their quest to compete in a loaded Western Conference.
“The Lakers’ net rating is a measly minus-2.4 with both Dončić and James on the floor this season, yet jumps to plus-4.4 with Dončić on and James off,” continued Swartz.
“The Lakers get the best player in the trade in Markkanen and only give up one new first-round pick while removing the protection on the 2027 pick already owed to the Jazz from the Russell Westbrook deal.”
The addition of Lauri Markkanen gives the Lakers better perimeter shooting from the forward spot and another center to either start ahead of or back up Deandre Ayton.
All-in-all, the trade is a massive win for all sides, and gives James one last shot at competing for an NBA championship with his hometown team.
Cavaliers Trade Idea Brings LeBron James Home in Blockbuster Deal