LeBron's Best Shot at Ring #5 Is In Cleveland

At the start of the NBA playoffs, both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers believed they had a legitimate shot at winning the NBA championship this spring, and for good reason.

In Los Angeles, after the most shocking trade in NBA history in February, LeBron James and the Lakers formed one of the better duos in recent NBA history by acquiring Luka Dončić, who very well could be a top-three player in the association and proved it last season by carrying the Dallas Mavericks all the way to the Finals.

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers were by far the most consistent team in the Eastern Conference this regular season. Thanks to a hot 15-0 start to the season, the Cavs cruised to the number 1 seed, finishing with a record of 64-18, and outside of their undefeated start to the year, they also included multiple double-digit game win streaks, one even surpassing their 15-game start, as the Cavs won 16 straight games from February 5th up until March 16th.

Whether it was a talent edge the Lakers thought they had or the Cavaliers' sheer regular season dominance, heading into the playoffs, it would not have been shocking, at least to me, if the Cavaliers versus Lakers ended up being our NBA Finals matchup. Instead, both of these teams combined for one playoff series win in total.

The Lakers, the 3-seed in the Western Conference, were ousted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games rather embarrassingly. Meanwhile in Cleveland, despite a record-setting round one sweep over the 8-seed Miami Heat, the Cavaliers embarrassed themselves, losing to the 4-seed Indiana Pacers in five games in round two.

Because of their disappointing playoff exits, I do expect rather significant changes in both Cleveland and Los Angeles this summer, and while there is reason for each team to not overreact, if LeBron James is still prioritizing winning at least one more championship before he retires, I think, based on recent events, his best bet would be leaving Los Angeles for one last run in his home state, returning for a third stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Why, you may ask? Let's delve into a couple of reasons why.

The Cavaliers' Roster Is Simply Better Than The Lakers

Let's get an obvious thing out of the way: while Dončić is the best co-star LeBron could have on either of these two teams, there is no argument that Cleveland has a superior roster man for man. The Cavs very well could have a top-three starting lineup in basketball with Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley occupy the best defensive frontcourt in the game today. For years now, Cleveland's weak spot in their starting five has been their small forward, which makes James a great fit.

Mitchell's ability to score and Garland's playmaking also allow for LeBron to not have to carry the load offensively in what would be his age 41 season. Also, having Allen and Mobley behind him protecting the rim means he would not have to go all out defensively.

This postseason showed that what the Cavaliers need is a veteran who can calm them down and make sure nobody panics in late-game situations. I would say James is a more than qualified person for this.

The Eastern Conference Is a Clearer Path To The NBA Finals

To me, this is the big reason why LeBron should go home if he wants to win another ring. I don't think the conference imbalance has been this bad in the NBA in a while.

Out West, you have players such as Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards, whose teams are contenders now and are only getting better while also having young, up-and-coming stars, with Victor Wembanyama entering year three and Cooper Flagg about to take his talents to Dallas.

Those are just a few examples to showcase the talent out West. Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference is set to be in flux next season. The Boston Celtics, last year's champions, were probably still considered the league's best team heading into this season, but with their star player Jayson Tatum likely to miss all of next season with a torn Achilles, Boston seems to be getting ready to use the 2025-26 season as essentially a "gap year," with it being rumored they will look to shed salary this summer.

The other big domino to fall in the East is what happens with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. After three straight first-round exits and Damian Lillard also set to miss all of next season with a torn Achilles himself, it finally does appear that Antetokounmpo and the Bucks could be ready to part ways. If Antetokounmpo does get traded, it does seem probable that he would likely get moved to a team in the Western Conference, with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets being seen as likely destinations.

If Antetokounmpo is traded and Tatum is out for the year, this would mean the conference's two best players would be gone and would open the door for other teams. As of now, the only bets I can see going on deep runs in the East playoffs next year would be the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, who are set to meet in this conference final. Sure, the Knicks and Pacers are great teams. I do think it is fair to say they are not exactly your traditional conference powerhouse.

Of course, this would also be the best chance for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers to win the East, but until they do it, I am not buying into the player or team come postseason time.

Of course, the Cavaliers could just stand pat and be considered one of the favorites in the East next season, but based on these playoffs, I doubt anyone takes them seriously. If James were to join the Cavaliers next season with Tatum and Giannis gone, the path is there for James to help get the Cavaliers back to the NBA Finals, where he could get that elusive fifth title.

It's a Great Ending To His Career

LeBron has nothing left to prove in his career, yet he has so much to gain. At this stage of his career, it’s no longer about chasing regular-season accolades; it's about winning championships and going on deep playoff runs. While in all likelihood, he will finish his career with the idea of finishing out his career in Los Angeles alongside Luka Dončić competing for titles, I think the simplest, smartest, and most storybook ending would be for James to go home, end his career where it began, and try to win one last championship with the Cavaliers.

Will it happen? Almost assuredly not, but man oh man, what a story it would be.