James returned from 2014-2018 and took the Cavaliers to four straight NBA Finals appearances during that window, including one victory. He also took an undermanned Cavs team to the 2007 Finals during his initial stint with the franchise, though that team was swept. James, after all, won two of his four MVP awards playing for Cleveland clubs that made deep playoff runs from 2003-2010.
The Cavaliers would be open to having James return in free agency after his current contract with the Lakers expires, which would be at the earliest in the summer of 2024, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, but Fedor also points out that James won’t have the same level of control he once did.
