The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night in a game that will surely mean a lot to LeBron James.
James and the Cavaliers reportedly are open to reuniting this summer, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. James is a pending free agent, and the four-time NBA champion may well end his career where it started following eight seasons in Los Angeles.
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In the meantime though, ESPN reports that James has shown a “commitment” to the Lakers that rivals the way he dragged the 2017-18 Cavaliers to the NBA Finals.
Though James missed the first 14 games of this season as he dealt with painful sciatica in his lower back, he shed weight and stopped drinking alcohol during his rehab. The Lakers are starting to feel the effects.
Since he sat in a 107-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 7, James has averaged 23.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, continuing to chart new territory for a player his age. The 41-year-old has helped the Lakers (28-17) to four wins in their past five games entering Wednesday’s showdown with the Cavaliers.
It’s generating optimism that James could “find that cape” one more time and give the Lakers an opportunity at one more deep playoff run this spring before the two sides part ways.
