CLEVELAND — LeBron James is back home this weekend, back in the blustery cold and snow-covered streets of Northeast Ohio. His picture is back on the building that hangs across from the arena he called home for 11 years as part of the league’s All-Star celebration.
Now the only question is whether another picture could go up there again some day. Could James actually return to Cleveland and play for the Cavaliers a third time?
“The door’s not closed on that,” James told The Athletic Saturday following the East’s team practice on the campus of Cleveland State. “I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free.”
James, of course, is a free agent after next season. He is tethered to the Lakers for one more year.
After that? Buckle up.
James stressed he has not thought about a return to Cleveland, but he also wouldn’t rule anything out. Maybe it’s a one-day deal to retire a Cavalier some day. Maybe it’s more.
The landscape is far different this time for both sides. James bolted Cleveland in 2010 for a Heat team that advanced to four consecutive NBA Finals and won two championships. The Cavs, meanwhile, collected a war chest of draft picks and trade assets while struggling to piece together a competitive roster.
James returned anyway and delivered the city its first championship in 52 years.
