Cavaliers Could Mount Aggressive 2025 Pursuit of LeBron James, Executive Predicts
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CONTENT:
An anonymous NBA executive believes the Cleveland Cavaliers will make a strong bid to re-sign LeBron James next summer if the club falls short of winning the 2026 NBA championship.
James, 40, is heading into the final season of his current deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and is scheduled to earn $52.6 million in 2024-25. When that contract expires, the league’s all-time scoring leader will become an unrestricted free agent for the first time since 2018.
“Next season is a big year for Cleveland,” the executive told Cavaliers Nation. “Tyrese [Haliburton] is out. Jayson [Tatum] is most likely out. The East is wide open. It’s there for the Cavaliers to take. They should win the conference next season. There’s no excuses. And once you get to the Finals, anything can happen.”
The executive added that if Cleveland does not capture the title, owner Dan Gilbert could still seek James’ return despite previously hoping to secure a championship without him. “If the Cavaliers don’t win it all next season, I can see them going hard after LeBron,” the executive said. “I know he’ll be 42, but it’s LeBron. He will always be an elite force.”
James has already spent two stints with his hometown team—2003-10 and 2014-18—guiding the franchise to its lone championship in 2016. Last season he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists while earning All-NBA Second Team honors.
Imagem: Sam Amico via hoopswire.com
Should a third Cleveland tenure materialize, a projected starting lineup could feature Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, James, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Source: Hoops Wire
