Lakers News: Skip Bayless Trolls LeBron James for Attending Cavaliers’ Game 4 Loss

The former Cleveland star paid his old team a visit on Monday night.

May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and his wife Savannah James at the Cleveland Cavaliers' Game 4 matchup against the Boston Celtics. / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James, long-since eliminated from the 2023-24 NBA postseason, was spotted courtside with his wife Savannah at the Cleveland Cavaliers' 109-102 Game 4 loss to the Boston Celtics on Monday night. Boston currently leads the Cavs 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup.

James, who has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season and could become a free agent if so inclined, has of course logged two separate tours of duty with the Cavaliers, who drafted him first overall in a legendary 2003 class (Darko Milicic excluded). James first ditched Cleveland in 2010, having made just one NBA Finals in 2007. He then returned to lead a "Big Three" core comprising himself, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and All-Star power forward Kevin Love to four straight NBA Finals appearances from the 2014-15 season through 2017-18, winning in 2016. James departed again, in 2018, to join the Lakers, with whom he won his fourth overall title in 2020.

Obviously being sighted at his hometown team's playoff game could fuel rampant speculation of an interest in returning to the Cavs for a third and presumably final tour of duty. The club boasts an intriguing core, comprising star guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, plus big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, and has won 48-plus games the last two seasons.

Cleveland could certainly benefit from the addition of a 6-foot-9 superstar forward who can score at all three levels (at least, he could last year) and remains an athletic marvel. James, the league's oldest active player at age 39, played in 71 games last season, averaging 25.7 points on .540/.410/.750 shooting splits, 8.3 dimes and 7.3 rebounds as the best- or second-best player on a 47-35 L.A. club. Not too shabby for a guy playing in his 21st NBA season.

The Cavaliers don't currently have enough cap space to offer James anything near his current anticipated salary for next season. Given that he's a billionaire at this point thanks to his on-court earnings and various business interest, perhaps he'd be amenable to a discount, and would accept something more in the range of a mid-level exception to facilitate a third homecoming.

Perpetual James hater Skip Bayless of Fox Sports 1 had a skeptical theory about why James picked Game 4, with Mitchell and Allen both sidelined and the Cavaliers seemingly destined to fall to the loaded Boston Celtics:

Did I see LeBron at the Cavs game in Cleveland? Brilliant! He shows up on the night the Cavs are without their two best players, making sure he doesn't risk a big Cavs win and fans yelling (or at least thinking), "We don't miss you."

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 14, 2024

He may have a point. Perhaps James is currying favor with the Cavs faithful. He needn't have worried. The Kid From Akron received a standing ovation. They do miss him, it turns out.

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