LeBron James Hints at Return to Cavs With One Unexpected Social Media Gesture

LeBron James subtly expressed an apparent interest in returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 41-year-old NBA superstar liked an intriguing social media post on Wednesday, 20 May. As expected, James' gesture sparked a fresh angle in his already talked-about free agency.

A Cleveland Cavaliers fan account posted the image on Instagram Stories. The caption explicitly implored the veteran forward to Come home.'

The post featured James in a Cleveland jersey, dating back to his previous playing days with the franchise. By hitting the 'like' button, the four-time MVP made the fans and the media speculate on his desire to make another Cavs comeback, per People.

Cavs Need Funds to Get Their Hometown Hero Back

Even though it sounds interesting, a return to Ohio would not be straightforward as the Cavs would face massive salary cap challenges if they opted to lure James back to Cleveland, the report suggests.

From the look of it, James would almost certainly have to accept a significant pay cut if he also wished to have a third stint with his former team. On the other hand, the Cavs must devise a smart financial strategy to secure LBJ's signature once again.

James Wants to Take His Time

The future Hall of Famer is keeping his options open at the moment. James will enter free agency this offseason and he intends to delay his decision until later in the summer. The NBA's all-time leading scorer wants time to deliberate on his next move and will not rush his choice regarding an NBA return.

'I'm still in the moment of just taking my time. I haven't even really thought about it too much,' James told Steve Nash around the 12:40 mark of Thursday's Mind the Game podcast via NBA.com.

'Obviously, I understand that I'm a free agent, and I can control my own destiny, if being here with this franchise for the foreseeable future or it's going somewhere else. But I haven't really even gotten to that point.'

For now, James revealed that his focus is on spending time with his family.

'I haven't even taken my family vacation yet, which is going to happen after Memorial Day,' LeBron said. 'That's kind of the thing at the forefront of my mind.'

'I think at some point, up in June, late June, as July rolls around, free agency gets going,' he continued. 'As July's rolling maybe into August, we start to kind of get a feel of what my future may look like, if it's continuing to play the game that I love.'

Multiple scenarios are currently on the table for James. He could choose to sign a new contract with the Lakers. Alternatively, he could retire from professional basketball entirely. A move to another franchise is also highly possible as he could explore open slots with other championship contenders.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania previously reported that many teams have already contacted James' agent, Rich Paul. The Cavs, Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors are firmly among those listed.