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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes LeBron James could have a better path to an NBA championship by returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Speaking on Friday’s edition of First Take, Smith proposed the idea as the 40-year-old forward enters his 23rd NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I saw the Cleveland Cavaliers this past season and I’m a huge, huge, huge, Donovan Mitchell fan. That brother is something special, but the absence of help during the postseason was very glaring,” Smith said. “They got bounced up outta there – [Tyrese] Haliburton and the crew sent them home. And then I thought about Los Angeles, but we know it has become crystal clear that, the weather, and Hollywood is the only reason LeBron is there because he damn sure ain’t winning no championship there. It ain’t gonna happen. Not with Oklahoma City. Be mindful of Dallas, don’t dismiss Houston, Minnesota and Ant-man already sent them home.
“I love me some JJ Redick – did a damn good job and I think they’re going in the right direction keeping Luka. Of course that’s a given 28 [points], eight [rebounds], and seven [assists] last year and that was considered a bad year for him. But getting specifically to LeBron, it has gotten to a point where I think it warrants – why don't you just come back to Cleveland and end your career? He'd have a better chance of winning a championship in Cleveland than he would in LA.”
“Why don't you just come back to Cleveland and end your career? He'd have a better chance of winning a championship in Cleveland than he would in LA [with the Lakers].”
Stephen A. Smith believes LeBron James should return to the Cavs 🗣️
(via @FirstTake)pic.twitter.com/23NHjPUp3f
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 8, 2025
Stephen A. Smith sees clearer championship path for LeBron James with Cavaliers
James opted into his $52.6 million player option earlier this summer, keeping him with the Lakers for the 2025–26 season. This past year, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and one steal per game while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three over 70 appearances. The Lakers finished as the third seed with a 50-32 record in the Western Conference but were eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, posted a 64-18 record and entered the postseason as the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed. However, they were eliminated in the second round by the Indiana Pacers in five games. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton later tore his Achilles during the NBA Finals, where Indiana fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Smith pointed to the shifting NBA landscape as a factor in his suggestion.
“The road through the Western Conference is arduous to say the least, and in the Eastern Conference – New York has a new coach, questions about their depth. Damian Lillard is no longer in Milwaukee, he’s back in Portland. So what help do you have with Giannis? Jayson Tatum is out for the year with an Achilles tear. We saw what happened with Cleveland last year. Indiana was in the Finals, Haliburton is out for the year. Turner is a Milwaukee Buck now. Orlando is on the come up with the Desmond Bane acquisition which we love, but they [are] on the come up, they haven’t arrived. If LeBron James came back to Cleveland – you’re the favorites to come out of the East.”
A potential return to Cleveland would mark James’ third stint with the franchise, where he remains the all-time leader in points, assists and steals, and delivered the Cavaliers’ lone championship in 2016.
