LeBron James helped the Lakers easily defeat the Nets last night to close out their eight-game road trip with a 5-3 record, scoring 25 points and reminding fans that he can still do most of what he could do during his younger days. That was most apparent on a couple of fast breaks, one of which he finished with his trademark tomahawk dunk, and the other with a soaring two-hander that looked effortless.
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There’s still so much to play for this season, as the Lakers are currently in an ostensible three-way tie for fifth in the West with the Suns and Wolves, and just three games behind the second-place Spurs. They also have legitimate reason to be optimistic about how they can close out the season.
It’s difficult to live in the present, though, when so much about LeBron’s future is unknown. Is he actually going to retire after this season ends? Could he possibly do that when he’s still so productive? If LeBron does come back though, it’s no guarantee that he’ll again wear purple and gold.
LEBRON TAKES FLIGHT —
Being able to dunk like this at 41 is CRAZY.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 4, 2026
The 4 time NBA champion has clearly ceded control of the team to Luka Doncic. But the recent reports of Jeanie Buss not being as big a LeBron supporter as she previously seemed to be could weigh heavily on his decision.
According to The Athletic, there’s an obvious final chapter to LeBron’s storied career just staring us in the face. It’s a return to where it all began with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
LeBron has already had two stints there and is by far the greatest player in franchise history. He delivered the Cavs their first and only championship in 2016. Now he could come back for one last ride with a team that has all the pieces to contend for another title.
In their trade deadline live tracker, The Athletic wrote, “LeBron James will be a free agent this summer, and if he chooses to play a 24th NBA season, sources close to him said Cleveland would be an obvious destination. His salary would not be close to the $52.6 million he’s earning now in Los Angeles, but at age 41 he is aware of the market realities facing him if he extends his career.”
Just yesterday, the Cavs traded Darius Garland for James Harden. They already have Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Adding James to that mix would be extremely enticing for basketball reasons, not to mention narrative ones so that the kid from Akron could see his career come full circle.
LeBron loves a good story. He broke Cavs’ fans hearts by jilting them with ‘The Decision’, but then he won most of them back by announcing his return with an essay for Sports Illustrated titled ‘I’m Coming Home.’
He also saw how well Michael Jordan’s The Last Dance was received, and would no doubt love to tie his own bow on his career as a way to contend with the man he’s been chasing all these years.
LeBron’s third rodeo with the Cavs makes too much sense not to happen if he chooses to continue his career. It’ll just come down to making the numbers work, and if The Athletic’s sources are correct, then LeBron realizes he’ll need to take a pay cut.
The man is a self-made billionaire, but you can’t buy a storybook ending. That’s why it makes perfect sense for him to sign for less and go out the right way.
