LeBron James surprised a lot of people when he showed up in Cleveland

LeBron James surprised a lot of people when he showed up in Cleveland for Game 4 of the Cavaliers’ second-round series against the Celtics.

James has long established himself as the king of cryptic messaging, and considering he’s effectively a free agent this summer (he has a player option), a lot of folks were wondering if he was up to something.

Some who move in NBA circles have since floated a particularly interesting theory, as detailed by Grant Afseth of NBA Analysis Network.

“While it’s speculation, some league personnel who spoke with NBA Analysis Network believe James used his courtside viewing experience in Cleveland to look closer at Klutch Sports Group client Garland as a potential trade target for the Los Angeles Lakers,” Afseth wrote. “However, it remains to be seen what viable trade offering they have that helps the Cavaliers build around Mitchell.”

This coincides with the news that Klutch Sports will try to facilitate a trade for Garland if the Cavs hold onto Donovan Mitchell, due to a perceived poor fit between the two players, according to Brian Windhorst.

Of course, no one knows for sure what LeBron might be thinking or planning here. But if he did visit Cleveland with the idea of potentially getting Garland to LA, that would fit with Shams Charania’s recent report about James planning on staying with the Lakers rather than leaving LA to join whichever team drafts his son.

Only time will tell how this all plays out, but it’s usually fair to assume there will be plenty of drama – one way or another – when the player movement begins over the summer.