LeBron James broke down in tears after the Cleveland Cavaliers paid him a tribute on Wednesday night when he returned to the Rockets Arena with the LA Lakers. The Cavaliers have always honored the former franchise centerpiece, but it was the first time James broke down in tears after a highlight reel was played on the Jumbotron.
As many of his fans feared, a looming retirement and his final game in his hometown were the potential reasons. After the game, James hinted that it remains a possibility that it was his last appearance as a player in Cleveland.
“Just being present in the moment. I don’t know if it’s my last game here or not.”
James is in the final year of his contract with the Lakers. He is a free agent next year and can choose to play for any team. However, it’s been a rocky ride for the 41-year-old in his 23rd NBA season. James dealt with sciatica, which delayed his season debut for the first time in his career.
He also saw his 10-point game streak snapped in Toronto in December. To add to his lowlights, LeBron James had a forgettable outing in possibly his final game in Cleveland. He finished the game with only 11 points and five assists on 3 of 10 shooting in 27 minutes. The Lakers lost 129-99.
The four-time MVP is averaging 22.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists, which remains solid for a player at his age, but his production is at its lowest since his rookie year.
Donovan Mitchell pays respect to LeBron James after teammate’s spirited comment
Cleveland fans didn’t hold back on showing love to former superstar LeBron James. The same can be said for current franchise centerpiece Donovan Mitchell, who paid his respects to the four-time MVP after his young teammate, Jaylon Tyson, made a spirited comment on Mitchell taking over the city.
“It’s Donovan Mitchell’s city now,” Tyson said in the walk-off interview with Mitchell.
Mitchell, a nine-year veteran, was quick to change the narrative.
“He laid the foundation, right?” Mitchell said. “They’ve done a lot for the city, being from here. You know, obviously, you want to replicate that. You know what I’m saying, so he deserved the energy that he’s got here.”
Donovan Mitchell was responsible for bringing back a winning culture in Cleveland without LeBron James. They made the playoffs for the first time in five years in 2023 in Mitchell’s debut season.
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