Former NBA player suggests LeBron James trade to Cavaliers

Since LeBron James left Cleveland back after the 2017-18 NBA season, rumors have swirled on if he would ever come back.

The four-time MVP winner is in his 23rd season in the league, posting a mark of 20.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.8 assists a night. He's still contributing at a high level and making an impact on the court for the Lakers.

However, the window for him to win an NBA championship in Los Angeles is small, and his time left in the league is as well. Many across the basketball scene expect the 40-year-old to retire at the end of the season.

And due to such circumstances, the possibility that he requests a move from the Lakers has a real chance of happening.

On Friday, Dec. 26, former NBA guard Jeff Teague discussed the idea of the Lakers trading James and his son, Bronny, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for center Jarrett Allen and forward De'Andre Hunter on his Club 520 Podcast.

Jeff Teague mentions a trade idea of the Lakers trying to send LeBron and Bronny to the Cavs for Jarrett Allen and Deandre Hunter 🤔

(Via @club520podcast) pic.twitter.com/bz1gAlqi50
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) December 26, 2025

However, this move unfortunately wouldn't be able to occur with the pieces that Teague and the rest of his co-hosts on the podcast discussed.

A move involving James returning to the Cavaliers would be very difficult to make happen, primarily due to the fact that they're over the second apron. That means that they are only able to take back 100% of the salary they are sending out, plus $0. In a deal involving James, the Cavaliers can only take back $43.3M in salary based on the amount they are sending out, and in this trade, would have to cut $9.3M from the incoming trade value.

The only way that they could make a move like this happen would be to include a third team. Then, they'd be able to wiggle the financial restrictions around to get around the second apron restrictions.

Earlier in the season, plenty of mock trades involving the Cavaliers and the Lakers were released. The most likely one sends Darius Garland, Hunter and a second-rounder to the Lakers, both James' to Cleveland with a first-rounder, and Max Strus and Jarred Vanderbilt to the Brooklyn Nets. Currently, the Nets have the best flexibility in cap space.

While rumors are always going to swirl, when one comes from the mouth of a former NBA player, it certainly adds a bit more weight to it.

The possibility of a reunion with Cleveland and James is incredibly unlikely, but not impossible.

The Cavaliers' front office is currently searching for answers and willing to shake things up as they are amid a losing spell. The team currently sits seventh in the eastern Conference and has a measly 17-14 record.

The last time James played for the Cavaliers, he led them to the NBA Finals, where the team fell to the Golden State Warriors, 4-1. He averaged an incredible 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists a game on clips of 54.2% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc.

He turns 41 years old on Dec. 30, 2025.