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As LeBron James navigates his 23rd NBA season<\/strong>, new details continue to emerge about the pivotal decisions that shaped one of the greatest careers in sports history. While fans often associate LeBron\u2019s 2018 move to the Los Angeles Lakers with Hollywood ambitions and legacy building, recent reports suggest that his original plan was never to leave Cleveland at all<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Instead, a fractured relationship with Kyrie Irving quietly set off a chain reaction that ultimately led James away from the Cavaliers\u2014and into the next defining chapter of his legendary career.<\/p>\n LeBron James has spent 11 of his 23 NBA seasons<\/strong> with the Cleveland Cavaliers across two separate stints, making the franchise inseparable from his story. Drafted first overall in 2003, James became the face of Cleveland sports almost immediately, carrying enormous expectations and delivering unforgettable moments.<\/p>\n After leaving for Miami in 2010 and winning two championships with the Heat, LeBron returned to Cleveland in 2014 to fulfill what many considered his unfinished business. That second stint resulted in four straight NBA Finals appearances<\/strong> and the iconic 2016 NBA championship<\/strong>, ending Cleveland\u2019s 52-year title drought.<\/p>\n In 2018, James shocked the basketball world again by signing with the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $153.5 million contract<\/strong>, ushering in a new era for the franchise. Two years later, he delivered the Lakers\u2019 17th championship<\/strong> inside the Orlando bubble.<\/p>\n Now in his eighth season in Los Angeles<\/strong> and the final year of his contract<\/strong>, LeBron once again faces an uncertain future\u2014one that invites reflection on the decisions that brought him here.<\/p>\n Despite being 41 years old<\/strong>, LeBron remains one of the NBA\u2019s most productive and influential players. While there are natural signs of aging, his performance continues to defy conventional expectations.<\/p>\n During the 2025\u201326 season, James is averaging:<\/p>\n 22.5 points per game<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n 6.0 rebounds<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n 7.0 assists<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1.0 steal<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Those numbers place him comfortably among the league\u2019s upper tier and reinforce why teams still build game plans around stopping him\u2014even two decades into his career.<\/p>\n With free agency looming once again, speculation surrounding his next move has intensified.<\/p>\n According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst<\/strong>, LeBron James had every intention of staying with the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/strong> before the situation with Kyrie Irving unraveled in 2017.<\/p>\n Speaking on The Sedano & Kap Morning Show<\/em>, Windhorst explained that James\u2019 departure plans crystallized only after it became clear that Irving no longer wanted to play alongside him.<\/p>\n \u201cI think LeBron intended to stay in Cleveland and then the Kyrie Irving thing blew up,\u201d Windhorst said. \u201cThat was in 2017. LeBron decided before his last year that he was going to be done in Cleveland.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The tension between the two stars culminated in Irving requesting a trade\u2014a stunning development that left Cleveland\u2019s championship window fractured and forced James to reassess the franchise\u2019s long-term direction.<\/p>\n Windhorst added that as early as 2017<\/strong>, LeBron began surveying the league for his next opportunity. That\u2019s when the Lakers emerged as a compelling option.<\/p>\n \u201cI think in 2017, he looked around and saw the Lakers and saw a great opportunity,\u201d Windhorst explained.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Whether the decision was finalized in the summer of 2017 or later that year, the writing was already on the wall. Cleveland\u2019s uncertainty\u2014combined with Los Angeles\u2019 flexibility, market size, and long-term appeal\u2014proved decisive.<\/p>\n Interestingly, Windhorst also revealed that the Cavaliers have historically been caught off guard<\/strong> by LeBron\u2019s free agency intentions.<\/p>\n In 2014, Cleveland reportedly had no idea James was open to returning from Miami until Rich Paul<\/strong>, his longtime agent, contacted the front office. At the time, the Cavaliers were pursuing Gordon Hayward before suddenly pivoting to a LeBron reunion.<\/p>\n That second Cleveland stint, while successful, lasted just four seasons\u2014ending not because James wanted to leave home, but because the competitive foundation had eroded.<\/p>\n While LeBron\u2019s departure from Cleveland stemmed from basketball reasons, his time in Los Angeles has not been without controversy.<\/p>\n An explosive ESPN report by Baxter Holmes<\/strong> claimed that Lakers governor Jeanie Buss explored trading LeBron James to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022<\/strong>. The report cited internal turmoil within the Buss family and Buss tightening her inner circle during that period.<\/p>\n Holmes further reported that Buss was reluctant to extend James\u2019 contract in 2023 and felt constrained by circumstances\u2014particularly with Bronny James\u2019 NBA aspirations<\/strong> and the franchise\u2019s public commitments.<\/p>\n Following the report, Buss responded publicly through The Athletic\u2019s Sam Amick<\/strong>, pushing back against the narrative that LeBron was unappreciated.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama,\u201d Buss said. \u201cTo say that it wasn\u2019t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Her statement sought to reaffirm the organization\u2019s respect for James while distancing him from internal conflicts.<\/p>\n Adding fuel to the fire, Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime<\/strong> recently hinted that major developments involving LeBron and the Lakers may be imminent.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething is about to go down,\u201d Haynes reported, without elaborating.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n With James entering free agency for the fourth time in his career<\/strong>, speculation now ranges from another Lakers extension to a potential final chapter elsewhere\u2014perhaps even a farewell tour designed to maximize his legacy.<\/p>\n If Windhorst\u2019s reporting is accurate, LeBron James\u2019 exit from Cleveland in 2018 was not driven by Hollywood, branding, or impatience\u2014but by a fractured partnership that altered the Cavaliers\u2019 trajectory.<\/p>\n It reframes one of the most scrutinized decisions in NBA history and underscores how player relationships can reshape franchises<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As LeBron stands at the crossroads once again, one thing is certain: every move he makes continues to reverberate across the league.<\/p>\n And if history is any indication, the next chapter will be just as consequential as the last.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LeBron James Once Planned to Stay in Cleveland Before a Franchise-Altering Rift As LeBron James navigates his 23rd NBA season, new details continue to emerge about the… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":144056,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nLeBron James\u2019 Historic Career: Cleveland Roots and Lakers Legacy<\/h2>\n
\nLeBron James Still Elite at 41 Years Old<\/h2>\n
![\"LeBron](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/manage\/2018\/07\/lebron-lakers-creative.jpg\")
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\nReport: LeBron Intended to Stay in Cleveland Until Kyrie Irving Rift<\/h2>\n
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\nHow the Lakers Entered LeBron\u2019s Vision<\/h2>\n
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\nCleveland Wasn\u2019t Always in the Loop on LeBron\u2019s Plans<\/h2>\n
\nLakers Drama: Jeanie Buss and the 2022 Trade Rumors<\/h2>\n
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\nJeanie Buss Pushes Back Strongly<\/h2>\n
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\n\u201cSomething Is About to Go Down\u201d<\/h2>\n
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\nWhat This Means for LeBron\u2019s Legacy<\/h2>\n