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Kevin Garnett says LeBron James' return to Cleveland could be the best move for Bronny's NBA future
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- Kevin Garnett says LeBron James' return to Cleveland could be the best move for Bronny's NBA future
With less than two weeks to go before free agency opens, attention is once again turning toward LeBron James . His contract with the Los Angeles Lakers ended after the 2025-26 season, making him one of the more interesting names on the market.
The latest intel is that James' team is in talks with the Lakers about a possible return. However, many, including Kevin Garnett , feel his best move would be to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers and finish his career where it began.
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"If I'm Bron, I'd go back to Cleveland," he said . "I think him going back to Cleveland not only gives Bronny some open leverage and open opportunity for him, but for him to establish himself in a place where he can start to grow what he's doing. So I think what he's going to do is going to affect Bronny and everything after him."
Get Bronny a longer guaranteed contract
Bronny will be entering the final guaranteed year of his contract with the Lakers. After being drafted 55th in 2024, he signed a four-year $7.8 million deal with a team option, which means that if next season is his dad's last year, then Bronny could be out of Los Angeles , too.
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However, if James decides to leave Los Angeles, no team would be able to match his true market value due to salary cap constraints. One possible workaround could involve an unofficial agreement in which a team brings in Bronny and offers him a longer guaranteed contract to give him more time to prove himself in the NBA.
Beyond Bronny's situation, Garnett also pointed out that everyone benefits when LeBron is in Cleveland.
"You don't know how many people who are eager in Cleveland to have LeBron back. You've got to remember, when LeBron is back in Cleveland, Cleveland's economy goes up when Bron is back, bro. Everybody made money when Bron was there. It is a ghost town, but when Bron is there, they have six or seven new restaurants. They got this and that. They got lounges, the fu—ng casino right there. They get every home game sold out. You gotta bring him back to Cleveland. It only makes sense," he said.
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LeBron brought more than just Cleveland's first title
LeBron's return to Cleveland in 2014 delivered the ultimate outcome for the franchise, as the Cavaliers won their first-ever NBA championship. But his impact went beyond the court, with the Cavaliers experiencing a major business boost and the city of Cleveland seeing economic benefits from his return.
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According to a report from the American Enterprise Institute , when LeBron announced he was going home in 2014, ticket prices jumped from $25 to an average of $386, and season tickets sold out within hours of the announcement. Also, the number of eateries, bars and restaurants within a mile radius of the Cavaliers' home court increased by 13 percent when James came back to Cleveland. In turn, employment in that area went up by 25 percent.
With LeBron potentially entering his final or second-to-last NBA season, a massive farewell tour could be on the horizon — possibly even bigger than Kobe Bryant 's. That alone would provide a significant boost to Cleveland's economy.
Beyond the business impact and the added security for Bronny, a return to Cleveland would also be an intriguing basketball possibility. If James can continue defying Father Time, joining forces with Donovan Mitchell , Evan Mobley and James Harden could give him another chance to compete for a championship.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
