NBA Rumors: LeBron James will wear No. 32 for Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers fans hoping to simply wear their old No. 23 LeBron James Cavs jerseys might be out of luck.

More from Cleveland Cavaliers

• NBA insider: Cavaliers should consider trading Donovan Mitchell
• Predicting NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule: Lakers, Warriors highlight slate of postseason rematches
• NBA Rumors: 3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid
• NBA rumors: How Donovan Mitchell could wind up on the trading block
• The new NBA flopping rules explained

James isn’t expected to wear No. 23, or the No. 6 that he wore as a member of the Miami Heat, during his second Cleveland stint. Instead, LeBron is likely to wear No. 32 for the Cavs, according to RealGM.

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reported this as well, prior to James’ decision to head home.

"One interesting note from an NBA source: If James returned to Cleveland, he would wear No. 32. He wore No. 23 with the Cavs before and No. 6 with the Heat. The source also indicated James is close to announcing his decision."

While perhaps surprising at first, it makes a lot of sense why James would wear No. 32, as it has a connection to his high school playing days in Ohio, which RealGM mentioned.

LeBron made it exceedingly clear in his letter posted on SportsIllustrated.com that his choice to join the Cleveland Cavaliers is about being back in Ohio more than anything.

"But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up."

James averaged 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists in his final season with the Heat.