Could LeBron James’ legendary career come full circle in the city where it all began?
The Ringer’s Zach Lowe stirred that conversation last week on The Zach Lowe Show, saying multiple teams have already begun discussing the possibility of hosting LeBron James’ farewell tour, with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers at the center of that buzz.
“Now, what happens after this season?” Lowe said. “I know people with the Cavs who are looking around like, ‘You want to do a retirement tour?’ I know people with the Warriors are looking around like, ‘Hey, you want to fulfill that dream over here?’ Dallas — that was a rumor. We’ll see what happens.”
Lowe’s comments echo the growing belief around the league that James’ final season may include a sentimental return to Cleveland, where his Hall of Fame career began two decades ago.
Cleveland’s Full-Circle Appeal
A farewell tour in Northeast Ohio would be a storybook ending to one of basketball’s most iconic careers. James was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2003, carried them to five playoff appearances in seven seasons, and later returned in 2014 to deliver the franchise’s first and only NBA title in 2016 — ending Cleveland’s 52-year championship drought.
James’ deep roots in the city, along with his influence in local business and philanthropy — most notably through his I PROMISE School — make a return to the Cavs more than just a basketball move. It would be a full-circle moment for both the player and the community that has defined his legacy.
If James wants to finish on his own terms — surrounded by familiar faces, fans, and the city that first embraced him as a teen phenom from Akron — the Cavaliers are the strong frontrunners.
Supporting Buzz and Betting Odds
Lowe’s remarks are the latest sign that momentum for a Cleveland reunion is building across the league. In September, Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report polled several NBA executives and agents, who also identified the Cavaliers as the most logical fit for James if he opts for a Kobe Bryant-style farewell tour.
“If he wants to do a farewell tour like Kobe did, it’s the only other team that makes sense,” one executive told Weitzman. “LeBron cares about narratives. He doesn’t want to be like Michael Jordan on the Wizards.”
Sportsbooks seem to agree. In October, Bovada released betting odds with the Dallas Mavericks as the favorite to land James at -120, but the Cavaliers are second at +350, ahead of the Golden State Warriors (+450) and New York Knicks (+550). His former team, the Miami Heat, and the Phoenix Suns round out the list at +900.
LeBron’s Contract and Control Over His Future
James is in the final season of his $52.6 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and holds a no-trade clause, which gives him full control of his future leading up to the February 2026 NBA trade deadline. He can veto any deal, meaning the decision about whether and where to play a farewell season rests entirely with him.
At 41, James remains one of the league’s most productive stars, still ranked among ESPN’s top 10 players when healthy. While his long-term plans remain private, he’s repeatedly said he values both legacy and family considerations when making career decisions.
A Storybook Ending in Sight?
If James chooses to close his career where it began, the Cavaliers would welcome him back as more than a player — but as a living symbol of the franchise’s greatest era.
“A farewell tour with the Cavs makes sense,” an NBA agent told Weitzman. “And it’s a way for LeBron to save face and say this is what he wanted. But he’s not getting a big payday from them.”
But money will no longer matter for James, the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, in a potential farewell tour.
And in Cleveland, where fans watched a hometown kid become one of the greatest athletes of all time, that ending might feel less like a goodbye — and more like coming home.
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