LeBron James has a long history with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following his initial decision to leave for the Miami Heat, James’ highlight with the franchise is his 2016 NBA title. Now, as the Los Angeles Lakers struggle through the season, rumors about James’ return to the Cavs have been around.
Most of it is centered around James playing with his son, Bronny. Furthermore, King James has himself spoken about being open to playing in Cleveland again.
“The door’s not closed on that,” James said, clarifying that even he does not know how his future will shape up.
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That being said, the Cavaliers are ready to grow and succeed. And maybe even win without James on the roster.
Darius Garland matches insane LeBron James stat during Cavs win
The best game of @dariusgarland22's NBA career👀
◽️41 points (career high)
◽️13 assists
◽️5 reboundsHe joins LeBron James as the only Cavs with 40 points and 10 assists in a game since 2010 pic.twitter.com/XocvAqOiGZ
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) March 9, 2022
In their latest encounter, the Cavaliers beat the Indiana Pacers 127-124. The highlight of the game, however, was young guard Darius Garland. The 22-year-old played impressively, finishing the game with 41 points, 13 assists, and 5 rebounds. Garland was iconic in this regular-season encounter, only earning praise online for his performance.
The important link in Garland’s performance was the similarity to a James stat. As per reports, Garland and James are the only two Cavs players since 2010 to score over 40 points and dish out 10 assists in a match.
While this won’t solve the problems the Cavs are facing, fans continue to hope based on his performance. The team also played without Jarrett Allen. Garland?who is shooting 47.8% from the field?carried the team. Additionally, Evan Mobley and Lauri Markkanen finished with over 20 points to their name.
How are the Cavaliers performing in the East?
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On their end, the Cavaliers are currently placed sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 38-27 win-loss record. This position will secure them a playoff spot. The Pacers game was also the team’s second straight win, which can turn into a three-game streak against the Miami Heat.
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Of course, adding James to a young budding team can be an interesting combination. The 37-year-old is currently with the Lakers, which is a relatively older team. However, with the correct set of players put together, James might just win another title.
However, as James said, one cannot predict what the future holds. Depending on Bronny’s draft, his contract with the Lakers and his health, the tail end of James’ career can shape in various ways. The possibility of a Cavs-James team up, though, cannot be ruled out.