Kendrick Perkins Doesn’t Hold Back on Cavs Missing Out on LeBron James

The Cleveland Cavaliers missed out on signing LeBron James for the final stint of his career as he inked a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Many thought the Cavs would land James, as it would've been a storybook ending to his career, as he started in Cleveland and won a title there in 2016.

However, the Cavs weren't able to land the four-time MVP, which puts them in a tougher spot to compete in the Eastern Conference in the 2026 season.

"It's no way and hell that you get a "face-to-face" meeting with Bron," Perkins said about Cleveland missing out on James. "He was in Akron for almost three weeks. He met with y'all like how do you mess this up, like seriously and the real thing about it y'all said it is that Jaylen Brown was the piece. Jaylen Brown been available. If Cleveland would have made a move and traded for Jaylen Brown, nine times out of ten, LeBron James would have been in Cleveland. But y'all didn't want to part ways with one of your guys. Whether that was Evan Mobley or Donovan Mitchell, you did not want part ways. And now all of sudden, you probably won't win another championship for the next 8 to 9 years."

The 76ers' acquisition of Jaylen Brown played into James' decision to sign with Philadelphia. If the Cavs had acquired Brown, it could've gone a long way in enticing the 41-year-old superstar.

Although James is no longer an MVP-caliber player, he is still playing at a high level, averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three.

He is still an elite playmaker and scorer, making him a valuable player despite entering his 24th season in the league. 

After not landing James, Cleveland will rely on Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and James Harden (once he's re-signed) to make a run in the East. 

The Cavs made it to the Eastern Conference Finals with this core in the 2025-26 season, but were swept by the New York Knicks. It will be a tougher road back, as teams like the 76ers and Miami Heat have made major moves this offseason.

Cleveland will have to make other moves this offseason to improve the rest of the roster, and they have shown interest in upgrading the forward position with Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson after missing out on James.