It's a rough day in Cleveland as Cavs once again bungled their pursuit of LeBron James and came up short

Jul 24, 2026 - 19:25

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It's a rough day in Cleveland as Cavs once again bungled their pursuit of LeBron James and came up short originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had seven more wins than the Philadelphia 76ers in 2025-26. Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference finals, and The Land appeared the perfect landing spot for LeBron James' final NBA destination.

So, imagine the shock when James chose the 76ers over the Cavaliers. James announced that plan for his 24th season on X on Friday. James tweeted:

"I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time. Thank you LA. Miami I'll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home."

another championship.

I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.

Thank you LA. Miami I'll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!

🙏🏾🫡👑
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 24, 2026

Northeast Ohio might be home, but Cleveland was only chosen one time through James' four free-agency decisions. If 2010-11 was "The Decision," then this round was "The Indecision" of James – who dragged out free agency and ultimately managed to pick someone else.

If you support the Cavs, it should sting. How much does that impact how Cleveland fans should feel about the organization? About James? Does this impact James' legacy in Cleveland?

MORE LEBRON JAMES NEWS:

Cleveland Cavaliers miss out on LeBron James again

Who is to blame in Cleveland? This is a failure by the Cavaliers' management to bring back the most iconic player in franchise history.

Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Conner reported sources believed James would return to Cleveland with a trade for either Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis – former teammates he won championships with in Cleveland and Los Angeles, respectively. The problem is the Cavaliers traded for James Harden last season, who is expected to sign a multi-year extension with Cleveland. Harden turns 37 in August.

The Cavs already signed Donovan Mitchell to a four-year, $273 million contract.

Was the Harden trade a mistake? Take a poll of Cleveland fans who would trade Harden right now if it meant landing James for the next two years. We already know the results.

Today feels like a major failure for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mike Gansey was their GM. They had an opportunity to trade for Jaylen Brown. They had a final opportunity to swing at Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis.

And now it feels like they're no longer a top team in the East...
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) July 24, 2026

Hindsight is 20/20, and former Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey did leave for Philadelphia to become the president of basketball operations. Still, new assistant general manager Brandon Weems' strong relationship with James was a selling point in free agency. The anticipation in Cleveland was high throughout the summer.

If you come at The King, you best not miss. In this case, Cleveland missed badly, and will slide down the pecking order in the Eastern Conference as a result. The failure is a major disappointment for a franchise that would have been a top contender with James. Without James? We already know the results there, too.

Is choosing 76ers over Cavs a mistake by LeBron James?

James could have scripted the ultimate homecoming in Northeast Ohio – where he was a high-school superstar at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School before the Cleveland Cavaliers made him the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

It would have been the ultimate storybook finish for the Akron, Ohio, native. Instead, James chose a neighboring state that acquired Jaylen Brown in the offseason and also has Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. In terms of taking a run at a fifth NBA championship, James might have a better chance with that roster next season. The appeal of winning an NBA championship with four different franchises would add to his GOAT case in the eternal argument with Michael Jordan, too.

A source familiar with LeBron James' thinking told ESPN that LeBron's choice hinged on the pursuit of a championship. After weighing his options, he believes that Philly gives him the best chance of doing that.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 24, 2026

Philadelphia hasn't reached the NBA Finals since 2001 – a year when Allen Iverson carried the franchise through a seven-game series against Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference finals. If James is a part of that type of run 25 years later, then this decision will be validated. A deep playoff run seems imminent with this team.

NOH: Can the Sixers win a title with LeBron? What needs to go right

How does choosing 76ers impact James' legacy in Cleveland?

In truth, James can do little wrong when it comes to the Cavaliers' die-hard fanbase. He led Cleveland to five NBA Finals appearances in two stints – and that included the dramatic seven-game series against the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Those memories will never fade, even with the missed opportunity for a "Last Dance" type scenario with Cleveland over the next two years.

Cleveland broke a 52-year pro sports championship drought that season – and the city has not won a championship in any major sport since. James always will be the catalyst of that – so the level of anger will not touch that of "The Decision." No jerseys are getting burned this weekend. They're too old.

That said, there should be a level of fed-up rejection given the way this decision unfolded. How many times is James going to spurn Cleveland and follow up by saying it will always be home? James' camp missed on the messaging to the Cavs' fans.

There were several ways for Team LeBron to not let Cavs fans and Northeast Ohio loyalists be led on. Pretty shocked (and pretty silly) that they chose none of them — and I love a good cheesesteak as much as anybody.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) July 24, 2026

The idea of a homecoming had been teased enough, and adding a trade piece such as Irving or Davis with James would have been far more entertaining than the latest Super Team in Philadelphia. What if the 76ers play the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference playoffs? That would sting, too.

Ultimately, the blame will be more on the Cleveland organization than James, whose next career path does not change all those accomplishments with the Cavaliers or how he will be treated for the most part in Ohio. That's the weight of that one championship he brought home.