Cavs Insider

NBA Legend Urges Lakers to Trade LeBron James to Cavaliers

An NBA legend is pleading with the Los Angeles Lakers to trade LeBron James back to the Cleveland Cavaliers before the NBA trade deadline.
Matthew Schmidt|
Feb 1, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) checks in for forward LeBron James (23) during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) checks in for forward LeBron James (23) during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In this story:

Cleveland CavaliersLos Angeles Lakers

The Cleveland Cavaliers don't have much time left to make any major moves before the NBA trade deadline, but could they still make a monumental deal?

Well, in the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring Luka Doncic in a shocking trade with the Dallas Mavericks, NBA legend Paul Pierce is now urging the Lakers to send LeBron James back to the Cavaliers—along with his son Bronny James.

The chances of this happening are slim to none.

Cleveland would have to completely gut its roster in order to pry James away from Los Angeles, and we don't even know if the Cavs would actually want LeBron at this stage.

Yes, it sounds crazy, but the Cavaliers are largely been a buzzsaw with their current group. They would absolutely need to break up their Core Four in any potential James package, and that's not even taking into account the financial ramifications.

Plus, it doesn't seem like James wants out of LA.

LeBron is now 40 years old and has settled down in Hollywood. It seems hard to imagine that he will endorse another move at this stage of his career.

Of course, the fit between James and Doncic may be somewhat awkward, and the fact that the Lakers jettisoned Anthony Davis in the Doncic deal now means that their defense will absolutely plummet.

That being said, Doncic is just 26 years old. Los Angeles will have plenty of time to build around the five-time All-Star, as James is surely nearing retirement.

It's certainly fun to think about LeBron ending things where it all started, but it just isn't very realistic.

Published
Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.

Home/News