Los Angeles Lakers fans thought they would wake up this morning and have the opportunity to enjoy a stress-free holiday from the craziness that is the NBA offseason.
Unfortunately, LeBron James had other plans for how to spend his 4th of July and it has worked fans of the Purple and Gold, as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers, into a bit of a frenzy long before any fireworks are set off on Friday night.
James is spending the holiday in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. This in and of itself isn't shocking in any way. LeBron has always spoken fondly of his home state and has every reason in the world to have as much of a presence in the area as he can after opening the I Promise School in 2018.
What has Lakers fans tweeting through their emotions on Friday is some of the activity LeBron has had on social media throughout the day.
Lakers Star LeBron James Trolls Fans During Holiday Trip to Ohio
Things started innocent enough. Fans in Los Angeles are familiar with Spectrum Sports' Allie Clifton and are likely aware that she worked for Fox Sports Ohio before taking her current job in Southern California.
Clifton shared a photo of her wearing a throwback LeBron James jersey from one of his Christmas Day matchups as a member of the Cavaliers. Again, no harm, no foul here. LeBron's comment concerning Clifton's jersey choice being the "proper attire" for the day raised some eyebrows in Cleveland, though.
“Proper attire” - LeBron James’ comment on Allie Clifton wearing a Bron Cavs jersey 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/QSmo7hlSSE
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 4, 2025
James has done things like this before on social media, especially during the offseason, so while it may push the wrong buttons of some Lakers fans, this isn't anything out of the ordinary.
What came next, however, seems to have done the trick and now some fans in Los Angeles are accusing the future Hall of Famer of trolling the franchise. As you can see from the image below, at some point during his visit to his home state, LeBron stopped by his old stomping grounds and appeared to get a workout in at the Cavaliers' practice facility.
The player in the photo with James is Denver Jones, an undrafted free agent out of Auburn University who is on Cleveland's summer league roster.
And every summer since it was built. I live here still and train every summer. Got damn yall bored man! Go get a plate of food somewhere and enjoy the 4th of July!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 4, 2025
Does this mean anything concerning LeBron's future in Los Angeles? Fans can rest assured that it does not, and LeBron was quick to put out that fire. For starters, he has made Los Angeles his home base, his oldest son is still on the Lakers' roster, and his son Bryce is about to begin his collegiate career at the University of Arizona. Forcing his way back to Cleveland while the rest of his family is on the other side of the country doesn't make much sense, and he said as much in response to the photo.
Would this be a story if it were any other NBA player working out in any other team facility? Probably not. Given the uncertainty surrounding LeBron's future with the Lakers after he opted in for the 2025-26 season rather than negotiating a new contract, seeing him pop up in Cleveland at the Cavaliers' facility, of all places, was enough to raise the collective blood pressure of Los Angeles' fan base for at least a portion of the 4th of July.
Regardless of his intentions, LeBron has found a way to insert himself into the media cycle over the holiday weekend.