Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Suggests LeBron James Should Return to Cleveland for Final Year
Now that LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suggested where the fellow icon should wrap up his career.
James informed the Lakers that he will sign elsewhere in free agency. He passed Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer during his eight seasons with the organization.
Following the news, Abdul-Jabbar celebrated LeBron's time with the Lakers before making the case for James going back to the Cleveland Cavaliers for one last run.
"LeBron was a winner on and off the court, and Laker fans should appreciate his performance for the last eight years," Abdul-Jabbar wrote on social media. "If LeBron goes home to Cleveland, it won't matter if they win the World Championship or not because his hometown fans will get their opportunity to say their goodbyes to one of the greatest ever. And who knows one day he may become Mayor of Cleveland!"
Back to Cleveland?
It's not a far-fetched scenario. Chris Haynes reported that the Cavaliers are interested in reuniting with James for a third stint.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, people around the league are "keeping an eye on" the Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat as LeBron's most likely landing spots. Charania said James wants to play "meaningful basketball" and will prioritize his happiness over the best financial offer.
ESPN analyst Bobby Marks called Cleveland the "best fit" for James if he hopes to win a fifth championship. The Cavaliers went to the Eastern Conference Finals without LeBron this year for the first time since 1992.
Their ESPN colleague, Dave McMenamin, said James told agent Rich Paul to speak to any team interested in signing him. McMenamin said on NBA Today that "several members" of LeBron's inner circle are scheduled to meet in Ohio later this week.
"I've followed this guy now for 12 years around the country," McMenamin said of James. "I've seen different fanbases, different arenas. The only place that accepts him, embraces him, celebrates him for everything that he is, is Cleveland, Ohio."
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This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 6:56 PM.