LeBron’s Next Team After Lakers? NBA Insider Reads ‘Tea Leaves’

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially turned the page on the LeBron James era.

Now comes the waiting game.

While James has yet to announce where he will play his record-setting 24th NBA season, ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin believes the strongest signs point toward a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Speaking on NBA Today, McMenamin said the “tea leaves” surrounding James’ free agency increasingly favor the franchise where his NBA career began and where he delivered a historic championship in 2016.

The comments came shortly after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James informed the Lakers he would continue his career elsewhere after eight seasons in Los Angeles.

McMenamin Reads the ‘Tea Leaves’

Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers acknowledges the fans during a tribute video during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 25, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

McMenamin pointed to James’ location when he made one of the biggest decisions of his career.

The four-time MVP informed the Lakers he was leaving while in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

“I mean, of all the places in the world where he could come to the conclusion that he’s going to be leaving the Lakers, and telling the Lakers he was going to be leaving it, it just so happens to be Akron, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio,” McMenamin said. “I’m not going to say that’s all of the clues right there, but we have to read the tea leaves here.”

McMenamin also noted that members of James’ inner circle are expected to meet with him in Ohio this week as he weighs his next move.

“It could be the best situation right down the road from where you grew up, 45 minutes from Akron with the Cavs for a third stint,” he said.

Cleveland Appears to Be Preparing

McMenamin’s comments align with reporting from The Athletic’s Joe Vardon, who wrote that the Cavaliers are already preserving salary-cap flexibility in case James decides to return.

Vardon reported that James Harden, after declining his $42.3 million player option, is expected to re-sign with Cleveland but is intentionally waiting to finalize a new contract.

According to Vardon, the delay allows the Cavaliers to maximize their flexibility while exploring a move for James.

“On Monday, Harden declined his $42.3 million player’s option and is now a free agent,” Vardon wrote. “He is expected to return to Cleveland on a new contract, but Harden is waiting to sign to give the Cavs the flexibility they need to make a move like adding LeBron for next season.”

Vardon added that Cleveland still needs to shed roughly $16 million in salary to unlock the larger non-taxpayer mid-level exception, a mechanism that would significantly improve its ability to make James a competitive offer.

Ready-Made Contender Could Appeal to Lakers Star

From the Lakers’ perspective, Cleveland also offers one of the league’s most NBA-ready rosters.

The Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since James departed in 2018, led by a core featuring All-NBA backcourt duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, former Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and All-Star center Jarrett Allen.

That established foundation could give James a legitimate opportunity to chase a fifth NBA championship without waiting through a lengthy roster overhaul.

Lakers Begin New Era

Despite the growing speculation surrounding Cleveland, James has not made a final decision.

McMenamin later reported that James had instructed agent Rich Paul to speak with every interested team before presenting him with his options.

For the Lakers, however, the focus has already shifted.

Los Angeles is aggressively building around Luka Dončić while pursuing multiple free agents and trade targets to usher in the franchise’s next chapter.

As for James, the final decision still awaits.

But according to one of ESPN’s most plugged-in NBA insiders, the clues increasingly point back to the place where it all started.

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