Even being blocked by LeBron James has not kept Kendrick Perkins out of the middle of the Cavs conversation. Perkins’ complicated history with James has only added weight to what he said this week, especially with Cleveland coming off one of the most aggressive trade deadlines in the league. The Cavaliers did not just reshuffle the roster. They fundamentally changed the direction of their title window.

And according to Perkins, that shift is already pointing toward something much bigger. The Cavaliers used the trade deadline to acquire James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers, a move that immediately raised Cleveland’s ceiling. However, Perkins says the Harden deal was not the endgame.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast, Perkins claimed that Cleveland’s stars are already organizing a push to bring LeBron James back to Northeast Ohio for a third stint. “My sources told me that Donovan Mitchell and James Harden already are starting the push to go and recruit LeBron James this offseason.”

According to Perkins, the tone inside the organization changed the moment Harden arrived. What had previously been a theoretical door cracked open suddenly became an active pursuit. “I’m just telling you, my sources tell me soon as James Harden got on the phone or got around the team, the initial was, ‘Hey, we about to make this run. We about to go all out, but we want LeBron James.’”

Harden has already made it clear that championship ambitions drove his exit from the Clippers. Pairing him with Donovan Mitchell has pushed Cleveland into immediate contention. Still, Perkins says the roster believes the final piece is the player who delivered the franchise’s 2016 title.

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That same pursuit places enormous pressure on the Cavaliers’ current centerpiece. Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension with Cleveland, a deal that cemented him as the face of the franchise. Perkins made it clear that status comes with expectations that are no longer theoretical.

“Donovan Mitchell’s a– on the clock, too, by the way.” Perkins went further, arguing that Cleveland has already done more to support Mitchell than it ever did for James during his first stint with the organization. “The Cleveland Cavaliers have done more, meaning made more trades, whatever it takes of surrounding Donovan Mitchell to be successful than they did for LeBron James. That’s right. They have.”

If Cleveland succeeds in bringing James back, the margin for error disappears. Mitchell and Harden would be operating with a roster built entirely to win now, leaving no room for postseason excuses.

Cleveland’s History Keeps the Pressure High

That pressure is amplified by how deeply LeBron James still defines the franchise. Earlier this season, Cleveland guard Jaylon Tyson sparked backlash by calling it “Donovan Mitchell’s city.” Mitchell himself quickly corrected that framing, acknowledging that the foundation still belongs to James.

The organization appears intent on ensuring that history does not repeat itself. Perkins previously claimed that head coach JB Bickerstaff was dismissed in part because Mitchell was unhappy with his tactics. The front office then followed with aggressive roster moves, including the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter, to reinforce the roster around its star guard.

Those decisions stand in stark contrast to Cleveland’s first attempt to build around James, which ultimately ended with his departure to Miami in 2010. The Cavaliers’ deadline moves have pushed them over the second apron, making them the only team in the league currently operating above that threshold. It is a massive financial and competitive gamble.

Whether LeBron James returns or not, the organization has already made its stance clear. Cleveland is done playing the long game. James remains under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers through the end of the season, and his future beyond that remains unresolved. Retirement is possible. Another team is possible. A return to Cleveland is now being openly discussed by those closest to the situation.

If that return happens, it will not just redefine the Cavaliers’ title odds. It will cement the reality Perkins outlined. Cleveland has already chosen its side. And now, Donovan Mitchell has to deliver.