Joe Vardon of The Athletic joins Ken and Lima and says he now believes LeBron is coming to Cleveland, admitting the reporting community was completely wrong about a done deal with the Lakers just weeks ago. He pushes back on trade speculation involving Evan Mobley, arguing it makes no sense for the Cavs to deal a 25-year-old two-way player, but says a Donovan Mitchell-for-Jaylen Brown swap with Boston is at least a more realistic thought exercise given Mitchell's looming extension. Vardon argues the Cavs already have a compelling pitch for LeBron since he'd have real relationships with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell in the locker room, something he never had with the Lakers, and doesn't think Cleveland needs to make roster upgrades to win him over. He closes by saying if LeBron signs and no major moves are made otherwise, the Cavs are a legitimate championship contender in a deep Eastern Conference.
Joe Vardon: The Cavs are Championship Contenders with LeBron
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers is seen on the court during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on April 05, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.
Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images
The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima
The only place to talk about the Cleveland sports scene weekday mornings is with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima from 6-10a! The show guides you through…
