When LeBron James left Cleveland for Los Angeles in 2018, he didn’t just change franchises, he left behind a city he had defined and a fanbase that had built its identity around him. Eight years later, one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive player made the exact same journey. And his first order of business in front of the cameras was to talk about the man who showed him how it was done.

The Los Angeles Rams, on Tuesday, introduced Myles Garrett at a press conference, days after he completed one of the biggest trades in NFL history. A blockbuster move that sent the two-time Defensive Player of the Year from the Cleveland Browns to Los Angeles in exchange for Jared Verse and three draft picks. He used the moment to deliver an unprompted message to the Lakers superstar.

“I’m sure we’ll have some more conversations now in the same city,” Garrett said. “We’ll see how long LBJ is around, but if he wants to stay for a few more years, I know they’ll accept him with open arms.”

LeBron James is currently navigating the most uncertain stretch of his Lakers future in years, with free agency approaching and no public commitment to remaining in Los Angeles. Speaking on his Mind the Game podcast, James said he has not yet seriously begun evaluating his options, taking his family vacation first, with a broader decision expected sometime in late June or July as free agency opens.

The bond between the two runs deeper than geography. Before Garrett formally requested his trade from Cleveland, he picked up the phone and called LeBron, not for pleasantries, but for counsel.

“What a transition looked like for him,” Garrett said of what they discussed. “What was his thought process going into it before he left Cleveland? Just making sure I made a logical decision, taking my time. Just trying to take away the pressure of doing something like that.”

The four-time champion took to Instagram to welcome him, writing: “Welcome to LA my guy!!”

Their connection also has a professional dimension. Garrett is a minority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and joined the same agency as LeBron, Klutch Sports Group, binding them together in business as much as brotherhood. LeBron, for his part, has never been shy about the admiration running the other direction. After a joint workout in Los Angeles in early 2024, he captioned the Instagram post: “IRON SHARPENS IRON!! Big Bro & Big Lil Bro getting after it!”

Two Cleveland Icons, One City, and a Future Still Being Written

LeBron left Cleveland and built a second chapter in Los Angeles that included one NBA Finals appearance and a championship in 2020. Garrett, on the other hand, spent nine seasons with the Browns, set the NFL’s single-season sack record with 23 in 2025, and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards.

When LeBron congratulated Garrett on breaking the sack record in January, he posted: “CONGRATULATIONS MY GOOD BROTHER!!!!!!! @Flash_Garrett,” it was a public endorsement from one Cleveland icon to another that underlined just how tight the circle had become.

The Rams, with Garrett arriving on a contract that carries a cap hit of just $8.1 million in 2026, well below market value, are firmly in Super Bowl mode. They added Trent McDuffie, Davante Adams and now the best edge rusher in football in the space of a single offseason. Garrett described his goal at the press conference simply: “Bringing another championship to Los Angeles.”

LeBron’s goal, on the other hand, remains publicly unresolved. The Lakers’ second-round exit at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in May left significant questions about the direction of the franchise heading into what could be LeBron’s final free agency. He has not confirmed whether he will return. Brian Windhorst reported that the four-time MVP’s camp is waiting for the Lakers to come to them first, presenting a clear plan, a contract offer, and a vision for where he fits alongside Luka Doncic going forward.

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, however, reported that the Lakers’ internal preference is to move forward without James on the roster. A development that opens the door to a return to Cleveland, a move to another contender, or retirement entirely. Shams Charania also reported that virtually every contender in the league has already explored the possibility of adding James if he becomes available.

What Garrett’s press conference moment made clear is that the relationship between these two will continue to shape both of their stories, regardless of which jersey LeBron wears next season. “He’s been a positive force in my life,” Garrett said. “Giving me advice when he can. Always helping, trying to work through different situations early on in my career.”

Two Cleveland legends. One city. One of them is already chasing a ring, the other is deciding whether he still wants to.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​