Tuesday, hours before free agency got underway, LeBron James delivered a bombshell that could alter the NBA landscape. His divorce from the Los Angeles Lakers feels like an amicable split, with both sides ready to move on. However, now, the question becomes where James will take his talents for the final act of his career.
Maybe the Golden State Warriors are the front runners. The idea of him joining forces with Stephen Curry in his final chapter would create must-see TV. Draymond Green declined his player option and is willing to re-sign for less to help bring James to the Bay.
However, driven by the same motivation, James Harden declined his $42.3 million player option.
As Joe Vardon of The Athletic wrote, "He is expected to return to Cleveland on a new contract, but Harden is waiting to sign to give the Cavs the flexibility they need to make a move like adding LeBron for next season."
Almost a decade removed from squaring off in the NBA Finals four straight years, the Cavaliers and Warriors find themselves battling it out for James's services. As they do, on NBA Today on the first night of free agency, ESPN's Brian Windhorst posited this food for thought: What if Cleveland turned to a pursuit of Jaylen Brown to bring home the four-time MVP?
Brian Windhorst floated the idea of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James playing together in Cleveland 👀🤔 pic.twitter.com/CE88SpHAnt
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 1, 2026
Cavs could part with Evan Mobley to land Jaylen Brown and LeBron James
To this point, Believeland's NBA franchise has not wanted to part with Evan Mobley. They didn't make him available for Giannis Antetokounmpo and have not done so for Brown.
However, they now might have access to a scenario akin to the Los Angeles Clippers trading for Paul George to help land Kawhi Leonard. Of course, the Cavaliers will be hoping for better results.
Along with Mobley, they'd want to include Sam Merrill in the deal. That way, they aren't hard-capped at the first apron. The Boston Celtics could view him as an option to help fill minutes on the perimeter after parting with a five-time All-Star. If so, they could utilize their $15 million traded player exception to absorb his $9.2 million contract.
Boston would also be right to view the wing position as a strength, even if Brown is no longer a part of that group. That could lead to Merrill landing with a third party.
Would the Celtics want Evan Mobley in a Jaylen Brown trade?
Boston's better off with Brown, from this vantage point. And it must also consider contending with a Cavaliers team that adds him and James.
However, based on what's unfolded, the organization might believe it's time for a different direction. In response, the two-time All-NBA selection could put his thumb on the scale to find a fresh start elsewhere.
Either way, if this is the end of one of the franchise's most successful eras, Mobley is probably the best individual player the Celtics can get for Brown at this point.
There are questions about his assertiveness on the basketball floor and how far a tandem of him and Jayson Tatum could lead Boston. However, he just turned 25, and he earned an All-NBA selection and the Defensive Player of the Year Award in the 2024-25 campaign.
The six-foot-11 power forward/center averaged 18.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks this season. And before his three-point struggles this year, shooting sub-30 percent, he knocked down at least 37 percent of his attempts in the previous two seasons.
Mobley could certainly stand to have some more Kevin Garnett in him, but this is still a blue-chip talent who hasn't entered his prime. If that's the return for Brown, it's easy to understand why Brad Stevens signed off on it.
How a Jaylen Brown trade clears the way for LeBron James to return home
If that blockbuster comes to fruition, then Cleveland could retain Harden and look to sign James for the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception.
A lineup featuring Donovan Mitchell, Harden, Brown, James, and Jarrett Allen is most likely the best potential option for a four-time NBA champion trying to put a fifth ring on his hand.
Along with having home-field advantage, as the Cavaliers make their case to James, there's also a distinct possibility that they promote one of his childhood friends, Brandon Weems, from assistant general manager to fill their GM vacancy.
The two lifelong friends played together in high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary's high school in Akron, Ohio. Having someone like that in a position of power in the front office is sure to appeal to the author of one of the greatest careers in league history.
So, while James may choose the Warriors or even a reunion with the Miami Heat, Cleveland already represents one of the best places for him to end his iconic career. If the Cavaliers bring Jaylen Brown into the fold, then it could be the move that turns this possibility into a reality. And it could end with James leading the franchise to the NBA mountaintop for a second time before closing the book on one of the most storied runs in league history.
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