Byron Scott thinks James Harden kept LeBron James from Cavs return

LeBron James considered a third stint with the Cavaliers.

Byron Scott believes the presence of James Harden may have prevented it from happening.

“If they didn’t have James Harden, I think he would have done it a third time,” Scott said on his “Fast Break” podcast.

The Cavaliers acquired Harden from the Clippers in a trade involving Darius Garland. James ultimately chose the 76ers, joining Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe.

Former NBA center Olden Polynice pointed to another potential obstacle in Cleveland: Donovan Mitchell.

Reports have suggested members of James’ camp didn’t view Mitchell as an ideal fit. Polynice offered a straightforward explanation.

“He needs the ball,” Polynice said of Mitchell. “Donovan is a guy who comes down, looks LeBron off and does his own thing. LeBron’s not trying to deal with that.”

Polynice said sharing the court in an exhibition is considerably different from making the arrangement work throughout an NBA season.

“It’s one thing to do it during the All-Star Game,” he said. “It’s another to do it for 82 games.”

That’s their theory, anyway. James evidently didn’t see the Cavs’ roster as his best fit. Cleveland, meanwhile, remains committed to Harden and Mitchell as it attempts to contend without him.

A third homecoming didn’t happen. Scott believes it might have if the roster had looked a little different.