The barrier to LeBron James returning home to Cleveland for one last ride next summer is financial -- unless The King is willing to ignore the money and sign on a minimum contract.
The rules of the NBA are clear: if you are a team operating above the second tax apron, as the Cleveland Cavaliers are, you may only sign players in free agency to minimum contracts. Unless they pay to dump a player on another team with no salary coming back, the Cavaliers are on track to exceed the second apron again next season.
That is the primary issue with the dreams of LeBron James returning home to the Cleveland Cavaliers.