Colin Cowherd questions LeBron James’ Cleveland ‘heart’ after second Cavs exit

NBA analyst Colin Cowherd questioned LeBron James' past career decisions, particularly his choice to leave the Miami Heat after winning two championships and his subsequent departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers again after winning the 2016 title. Cowherd, reflecting on James' moves dating back to 2010, stated he would have stayed with the Heat due to the strong organization (Erik Spoelstra, Pat Riley, Mickey Arison) and its consistent ability to attract free agents.

Cowherd disputed the idea that James left Cleveland for emotional reasons ("his heart was in Cleveland"), arguing that James' second departure from the Cavs was driven by the opportunity to go to Los Angeles for brand enhancement and the chance to play with bigger stars who prefer the LA market, like Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic.

Cowherd also weighed the personal and professional consequences of James' frequent team changes. He cited the personal downside, based on his own experience, of moving around frequently: missing out on the stability of raising children in one place where they form lifelong friendships. Professionally, however, Cowherd noted the upside: James has overall played with more great teammates, reached more NBA Finals, and avoided long organizational struggles by moving for "commerce" (business/brand reasons), contrasting this with Michael Jordan having primarily one great teammate (Scottie Pippen).

The article also mentions ongoing speculation about LeBron James potentially returning to Cleveland for a final season. This stems from James being seen wearing a "Welcome Home" hat during the offseason (while golfing in the Cleveland area where he vacations/trains) and the fact that the Lakers did not offer him a long-term contract extension, making him a free agent after the 2025-26 season, which could be his last with the Lakers or in the NBA.