LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are both staring ahead at this summer, not sure of how things will turn out. With James praising the Cavaliers in new comments, the pressure is only ratcheting up -- and leaving Lakers fans as nervous as ever.
LeBron has always found a platform to make his thoughts known, and his most recent avenue has been his "Mind the Game" podcast, now co-hosted by Steve Nash. The most recent episode discussed the events of the NBA Trade Deadline, where the Lakers were overall quiet, merely trading for sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
One team that was not quiet were the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had a wobbly start to the season marked by injury and inconsistency. They made a couple of big deals at the deadline, first moving De'Andre Hunter for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, then pulling off a blockbuster move to swap All-Star point guard Darius Garland for former MVP guard James Harden.
It was natural for Nash and James to discuss the Harden deal as one of the headliners of the deadline, and LeBron was quick to leap in with his thoughts. "They're going for it," he said, immediately engaged and almost buzzing with energy as he considered what his former team had pulled off.
LeBron James loved the Cavaliers' trade deadline
"They needed another playmaker, someone who has been there, been in that situation before," he said, speaking to James Harden. It "gives Donovan Mitchell another ball-handler who can make shots late in the game." There was no hint of discussion of Harden's age (unsurprising) or playoff failures (maybe a little surprising). James spoke of Harden in purely positive terms.
Then, unbidden, he went further. "Those pickups they got from Sac as well," James continued, "The Cavaliers have added a lot." He praised his former teammate, Dennis Schroder, and then gave the nod to Keon Ellis as well. "[He] is going to compete and make shots."
In the eyes of James, the Cavaliers were now the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, adding pieces that would help them when the chips were down. And in the eyes of Lakers fans, that had to be the worst-case scenario for their chances of keeping LeBron past this season.
No one knows what LeBron James will do this summer. Will he retire? Will he re-sign with the Lakers? Will he move on and join a contender?
Or will he do what everyone has wondered he would do for years, and end his career by returning to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers?
The Trade Deadline has only turned up the volume on a return to "The Land" where LeBron won a title in 2016. There has been reporting that sources close to LeBron believe he could consider a return to Cleveland this summer and that he thinks highly of Harden -- reporting backed up by his effusive comments on the podcast.
If LeBron James looks over at Cleveland and sees a true title contender this summer, and he could sign on a bargain deal to finish his career with a run or two at another championship, he would be sorely tempted to turn it down. And that would mean walking away from the Lakers, who are not moving heaven and earth to retain him.
What LeBron will do is still unknown. But again and again, evidence is presenting itself that he will go home to Cleveland this summer. In the process, he may just deliver what he could not for the Lakers: a second title.