LeBron James created a stir during All-Star Weekend when he said he's open to the idea of returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Immediately, the talking heads ran with this idea, with some dreaming upwards scenarios to get The Male monarch back to The Land next season. It was part of a salvo of passive-ambitious shots James took at the front function of the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the idea of Part 3 for James and the Cavs proved irresistible to some.

It's a nice dream, if fevered. There's merely one problem: The Cavaliers are one of the feel-expert stories in the NBA this season. Fourth in the Eastern Briefing, Cleveland is a legitimate contender in a wide-open up race.

So what if the Cavs don't desire a reunion with James?

LeBron James delivered on his promise to Cleveland

When LeBron James announced in July 2014 he was returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he boldly declared that bringing a title to Northeast Ohio was important to him. He told Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated he left the organization to pursue championships. Ii rings with the Miami Estrus later, he wanted to evangelize a title to Cleveland.

He did that in 2016, helping the Cavs become the starting time team ever to erase a iii–ane NBA Finals deficit to take downwards the tape-setting Golden Land Warriors.

But things deteriorated from there. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, LeBron's play in Jan 2018 made information technology clear he disengaged from the franchise. The squad made a bevy of trades, James was happy, and the season ended with a fourth sequent NBA Finals appearance.

Then The King signed with LA in the offseason. The Cavs complanate. But Altman's rebuild is paying results now. Cleveland is a playoff-caliber team without James on the roster for the showtime fourth dimension this century.

According to i report, the organization isn't interested in fixing what already works.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are only fine, thanks

The concessions the Cleveland Cavaliers fabricated to LeBron James in 2018 set the franchise back. The issue was a 3rd Finals loss in four seasons and Male monarch James bolting when his contract expired.

In the fourth season of the 2nd post-LBJ era in Cleveland, the Cavs are fighting for a top-four seed in the Eastward. Veteran Kevin Honey transitioned beautifully into sixth-man and locker-room leadership roles.

They've weathered two season-ending injuries in the backcourt. Altman deftly flipped one of them, Ricky Rubio, and landed Caris LeVert, giving the offense the slasher it lacked later on Collin Sexton went down.

Why bring back James? According to Marc Stein on Substack, Cleveland is content to go its own mode.

"In conversations with people that I had in Cleveland, I recollect it's just causeless that the Cavs would jump at the take chances to get LeBron dorsum, and I really don't think that's the case," Stein said.

Koby Altman deserves to exist in the Executive of the Year conversation, the same way J.B. Bickerstaff should get considerable back up for Coach of the Year. Cleveland has 2 young All-Stars in Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and a Rookie of the Twelvemonth frontrunner in Evan Mobley.

They deserve a take chances to encounter what they've got. Likewise, the salary-cap math isn't attractive for the Cavaliers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers aren't in a hurry to become taxpayers again

With young stars like Evan Mobley leading a revival, the Cleveland Cavaliers don't need a third time around with LeBron James.
With young stars like Evan Mobley (four) leading a revival, the Cleveland Cavaliers don't need a third fourth dimension around with LeBron James. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The 2d LeBron James era came at a high toll for the Cleveland Cavaliers. From 2014–18, the Cavs played in four NBA Finals and won the 2016 NBA championship.

Information technology toll them most $136 million in luxury revenue enhancement payments, including topping the $50 million mark in 2015–16 and 2017–xviii (considering of repeater penalties).

The Cavs have nine guaranteed contracts on the books for next season. They likewise have a $1.ix million selection for Dean Wade. Lamar Stevens' $1.8 one thousand thousand deal for 2022–23 is non-guaranteed.

If they extend an $8.6 1000000 qualifying offer to Sexton, he will get a restricted costless agent. Cleveland projects at $23.2 meg beneath the luxury taxation line adjacent yr.

James has one yr and $44.5 million remaining on the two-year extension he signed with the Lakers in December 2020.

As much as everyone loves a homecoming story (or, in this example, a 2nd homecoming tale), bringing dorsum the 18-time All-Star in his age-38 flavour has two genuine downsides likewise the tax implications.

First, James' arrival focuses on him at the expense of the young core Cleveland developed. LeBron deserves every accolade he gets; that'southward not the point. But he's non on the same timeline as the group that Altman put together to bring the Cavs back to respectability.

That brings us to the second problem. Bron-Bron is not shy about demanding teams sacrifice to his personnel whims. Does Cleveland want to lose the immature talent information technology accumulated to create James and his Superfriends? Particularly considering how well it worked out this season for LA?

LeBron James already disproved the aphorism. But this time effectually, you lot really can't become dwelling once again … again.

Contract data courtesy of Spotrac .

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