Former NBA star has bold take about LeBron James returning to Cleveland Cavaliers

Former NBA champion DeMarcus Cousins believes that a hometown hero could ultimately retire in Cleveland, bringing a legendary NBA career full circle.

Especially as Cousins feels that the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t utilized him properly since winning the title in the infamous bubble season in 2020.

According to Cousins, the Cleveland Cavaliers represents the perfect place for LeBron James to close the final chapter of his basketball journey, exactly where it all began back in 2003.

Cousins feels that James has not always been placed in the best position to succeed in recent years. Despite that, his legacy remains untouchable.

“Do I think he finishes his career in LA? No. I think he finishes his career in Cleveland.”

— DeMarcus Cousins on LeBron 👀

(via @RunItBackFDTV)pic.twitter.com/zqcCO53jzi
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 19, 2026

“It kind of brought a little more awareness to the situation of him, his career in LA,” Cousins said.

“Obviously, he won a title in [the] 19/20 [season], but for the rest of the time, it just hasn't really been put in the best situations.

“Do I feel like he finishes his career in LA? I don't. My gut tells me he finishes in Cleveland, and I think it just makes sense. I mean, that's where the story starts.

“I think it's great. That's where his story starts. Obviously, that's where he's from. I think that'll be the first [team] to hang his jersey up, obviously. So, it just makes sense.”

For Cousins, a return for James to Cleveland would be about more than basketball success; it would be about symbolism, loyalty, and legacy. Ending his career in front of the fans who first embraced him would provide a fitting and emotional conclusion to one of the most incredible basketball careers since the likes of Michael Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant.

For James, it’s the perfect curtain call…

Born in Akron, Ohio, James entered the NBA with unprecedented anticipation and hype, and he more than lived up to expectations.

From MVP awards to championships and countless historic milestones, his impact on the league is undeniable and the list of accomplishments far too lengthy.

James has already enjoyed two separate spells with the Cavaliers, sandwiched between championship-winning runs with the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.

He has won four NBA championships and four Finals MVP awards, with his most meaningful one coming in Cleveland in 2016, when he led them to their first title and ended Cleveland’s sporting drought in place since 1964.

James has since gone on to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, passing the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in February 2023 in the Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cousins believes that one final stint in Cleveland would resonate deeply with fans and cement James’ story as one of the most complete and meaningful careers in NBA history.

For James, a proud Ohio native, it would mark the most fitting of endings.