THE KING’S RETURN: INSIDE DONOVAN MITCHELL’S THOUGHTS ON A LEBRON JAMES CLEVELAND REUNION
Is LeBron James headed back to Cleveland? Read Donovan Mitchell’s reaction and the Lakers' shock plan to sign Luka Dončić today.
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Donovan Mitchell and LeBron James stood side by side at the free-throw line during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 25, 2023. On the surface, it was just another night in Cleveland, but the rumours swirling around the NBA made that moment feel bigger than it looked.
Lately, talk around the league has picked up that LeBron might leave the Lakers this summer and finish his career at home with the Cavaliers. People close to the situation seem to think he wants that final chapter in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell, who’s the face of the Cavs right now, hears the gossip just like everyone else.
During an interview on “SiriusXM NBA Radio” right before the All-Star Game, Mitchell didn’t dodge the question.
“I’ve been a Bron fan for a long time. Playing with him? That’d be incredible, obviously. But that’s not my call,” Mitchell said. “I can only worry about what we have here. There are always going to be rumours; that’s just how it goes. My job is to focus on winning a championship. Whatever happens, happens. It’s not up to me.”
The idea of a LeBron retirement tour is picking up steam. Last week, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said the league is bracing for a sendoff “for the ages” next season. The scenario? LeBron joins up with Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and a loaded Cavs squad for one more run.
“Honestly, I have no idea what LeBron’s going to do,” MacMahon admitted. “But the buzz is strong. People expect a Cleveland reunion and a farewell tour that nobody will forget.”
If you dropped LeBron onto a team with Mitchell, Mobley, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, and Jaylon Tyson, that’s a squad with real title hopes. Mitchell isn’t getting ahead of himself, though. He’s locked in on the season in front of him.
“It’s not something for anyone in this locker room to worry about,” Mitchell said when pressed again about LeBron possibly coming back. “I believe in controlling what I can control. And yeah, it’s LeBron James; of course, people are going to talk.
“But honestly, I’m more focused on the guys we just brought in: James Harden, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis. The goal is simple: let’s chase a ring and see what happens after that.”
Now, on the business side of things, the Cavs’ payroll for 2025-26 is already sky-high. They’re set to be a second-apron team, which makes adding LeBron or any other big name tricky. Some insiders think Cleveland’s front office could let Harden walk or trade Jarrett Allen to create room for LeBron. Others have floated the idea of LeBron signing for the veteran minimum just to keep the roster together.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are in a totally different spot. They could clear up to $100 million in cap space this summer and seem ready to move on from LeBron. Word is, they want to turn the team over to Luka Dončić. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the Lakers have no plans to bring LeBron back unless he’s willing to take a big pay cut.
“The Lakers are almost definitely going to ask him to take less, maybe a lot less,” Windhorst explained. “Will LeBron be okay with that, like Dirk did in Dallas at the end of his career? Or, if he doesn’t like their plan, does he just pack up and go somewhere else?”
MILLION DOLLAR BET: LOGAN PAUL’S OPEN CHALLENGE TO THE NFL BACKFIRES AS BELL ACCEPTS
Logan Paul is ducking: Read about Le’Veon Bell’s $1M challenge, Tom Brady’s "cute" insult, and the Pittsburgh Draft fight rumours.
A former NFL star just called out Logan Paul, saying he’s dodging their $1 million fight.
So here’s what’s been going on: Logan Paul, who’s held the WWE United States Championship, got into it with NFL legend Tom Brady. Brady kicked things off by saying pro wrestling is “cute” and throwing shade at Paul’s athleticism compared to NFL players.
Logan didn’t let that slide. He fired back, claiming 99% of NFL players would fall apart if they tried wrestling in WWE, and then flipped the script by calling football "cute". Things really heated up when Brady straight-up called him a b*tch, and Logan decided to up the ante.
On his IMPAULSIVE podcast, Logan claimed no football player could beat him in a boxing match. He even put $1 million on the line, daring any NFL player to prove him wrong. A bunch of NFL guys jumped in, but Le’Veon Bell, a former Steelers star and a pro boxer himself, really took the bait.
Bell challenged Logan to fight in Pittsburgh during the 2026 NFL draft. He didn’t hold back, posting, “STOP DUCKING, @LoganPaul. Bro’s trying to fight an NFL player that’s never fought before. Let’s set it up; we all heard you say you can beat any NFL player. We can fight in April; the NFL draft is in PITTSBURGH. Let’s make it happen.”
Logan fired back. He pointed out that Bell isn’t in the NFL anymore, and since Bell actually knows how to fight, Logan said he’d need serious training time, which means stepping away from WWE, something he’s not willing to do. Plus, Logan claimed the fight isn’t worth it because Bell doesn’t draw a big crowd. “You’re not in the NFL. You can actually fight, so I’d have to properly train and step away from WWE (which I’m not doing, especially not for you). There’s no money here because you’re not a draw. Prove me wrong. Of course, you want the opportunity. I’m a goldmine for retirees like you. But gg,” Logan replied.
Bell wasn’t having it. He accused Logan of ducking out, saying Logan’s only interested in fighting NFL players with zero boxing experience. “THIS MF A (duck emoji) bro said, 'You can actually fight,' so he’s telling everyone he wants to fight someone who he feels can’t fight. That’s what we call DUCKING,” Bell shot back.
THIRD FASTEST EVER? HOW DID JAYSON TATUM BEAT KEVIN DURANT’S RECOVERY BY 254 DAYS?
Jayson Tatum is back: Read about his 298-day Achilles recovery, the 15-minute limit, and why the Celtics are now title favourites.
Jayson Tatum sat at the Auerbach Center, listening to questions from reporters during Celtics media day, looking like he was itching to get back on the court.
The Celtics’ star forward is finally on the verge of returning after tearing his Achilles less than 300 days ago, but don’t expect to see him logging big minutes right away. Reports say Boston plans to be extra cautious. Brett Siegel from ClutchPoints even said he’d be surprised if Tatum plays more than 10 to 15 minutes per game at first.
Tatum’s officially listed as questionable for Friday’s home game against the Mavericks. If he suits up, it'll be a huge boost for Boston, and honestly, a bit of a shock, considering how long other players have been out with the same injury. Just look at Dejounte Murray; he had to wait nearly 100 days longer than Tatum before coming back, and the Pelicans have limited him to 25 minutes a night since.
At the start of the season, most people figured Tatum would sit out the whole year. That’s what usually happens with Achilles injuries; guys like Durant, Klay, and DeMarcus Cousins all missed at least a year. Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton, who tore their Achilles in last year’s playoffs too, were ruled out for the entire season.
But then whispers started. Suddenly, Tatum was practising with the G League’s Maine Celtics, then joining full scrimmages with the big club. The rumours got louder, and now, here we are. If he does play Friday, he’ll have pulled off the third-fastest return from an Achilles tear in recent NBA history; only Kobe Bryant and Chauncey Billups came back quicker.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Kobe Bryant: 240 days
Chauncey Billups: 296 days
Jayson Tatum: 298 days
DeMarcus Cousins: 357 days
Kevin Durant: 552 days
Of course, Boston isn’t taking any chances. Tatum had to hit every checkpoint – conditioning, weight, you name it – before they’d let him suit up. And by all accounts, he looks good. Derrick White said Tatum has been moving well and playing like his old self in practice. You can see how hard he’s worked to get to this point.
The Celtics are 41-21 and already one of the league’s best, but Tatum’s return suddenly makes them the favourites to win the East and push for another Finals trip. Oddsmakers have noticed, too. Thomas Gable at Borgata said Tatum’s comeback could give Boston’s title odds another bump, and David Lieberman at Caesars pointed out that bettors have already started to back the Celtics with his return in mind.
So, yeah, Boston fans have a lot to be excited about. Tatum’s almost back, and the Celtics’ championship hopes just got a whole lot brighter.
