Power Rankings: Top 5 skedaddlers headed home

I'm pretty sure you're with me on this, but I can't wait to see LeBron James return to Cleveland on Thursday night.

After all, if David Lee gets bitten in what was otherwise a lovefest in his New York homecoming, it doesn't take J.K. Rowling's imagination to envision what might transpire in Dan Gilbert's screaming shack this week.

James' trip down memory lane easily ranks as the No. 1 reunion among last summer's star-studded batch of disloyal free agents and disappointing salary dumps. Here's how I would rank the top five on the must-see scale:

James is averaging 23.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, down 4 points and 1.3 boards from his career numbers. (Getty Images)

2. Chris Bosh at Toronto, Feb. 16: Fortunately for the franchise's all-time leading scorer, most Raptors fans blame Hedo Turkoglu for last season's colossal flop that no doubt factored into Bosh's decision to leave. Actually, the big guy's second visit could be even more fun than the first. Wouldn't it be fitting if, on the final night of the regular season, the Raptors beat the Heat and deny Bosh a trip to the playoffs yet again?

3. Amar’e Stoudemire at Phoenix, Jan. 7: The Suns haven't exactly fallen off the NBA map as the Cavs and Raptors have, so Stoudemire's return takes on a whole new dimension. After all, the sweetest revenge is beating your ex-hero's new team and thus "proving" he made a mistake in leaving a good thing.

4. Al Jefferson at Minnesota, Dec. 22: Carrying the weight of the franchise proved too much for Jefferson's knees, so it's hard to blame him for the Wolves' failures over the years. Kevin Love has become the rebounding machine Jefferson used to be, even if his big numbers go for naught most nights. Minneapolis orthopedists, be forewarned.

5. Corey Maggette at Golden State, Feb. 3: What, you were expecting Carlos Boozer's return to Utah? It doesn't happen until Feb. 9, by which point Boozer might actually be playing again. And if that's the case, he might already have done an Elton Brand-like, West-to-East disappearing act. Seriously, does anything Boozer do excite you?

Call me wacky, but I tuned in Nov. 12 to see Javaris Crittenton's return to Washington as a member of the Bobcats. You remember Crittenton, right? He's Gilbert Arenas' biggest nightmare in the poker arena. Alas, the Bobcats waived him. I say: Bad decision. I should know. I had nothing better to do than watch a whole lot of Shaun Livington on the 12th. He was terrible.

Monday would have been Dirk Nowitzki Night in Dallas had the free agent jumped to Houston in the off-season. He opted to stay, and that's the main reason the Mavericks have vaulted to the top of this week's CBSSports.com NBA Power Rankings.

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Spurs · Trends	1
	Can you win an NBA title with an offense-first team? That's what Popovich is trying to do this season. And he may have a better shot than the Seven-Seconds-or-Less Suns. It would not be celebrated as such, but it would be an incredible accomplishment.
	2	Bulls · Trends	2
	The most consistent team in the league for two years running. Tom Thibodeau is the Dr. Doom of the NBA.
	3	Heat · Trends	3
	To live up to expectations, the Heat have to make such a huge jump, they need rocket fuel to get it done.
	4	Thunder · Trends	5
	The Thunder have had nothing but upside and positive feelings the past two years as they climbed into contention. They're facing their first bout of serious adversity. How they handle it determines whether this team has championship mettle.
	5	Pacers · Trends	9
	You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos.
	6	Lakers · Trends	6
	The Lakers winning the Pacific again would be like the Kansas Jayhawks winning their conference. They have a closet where they just toss the trophies on top of the pile. Looks like Scrooge McDuck's gold.
	7	Clippers · Trends	7
	Uh, anyone else notice that despite all the questions (defense, coaching, shooters, coaching, cohesiveness, coaching), the Clippers are really pretty good?
	8	Celtics · Trends	4
	One more ride, old-timers. One more ride.
	9	Hawks · Trends	11
	Boston and Atlanta began their playoff runs with their cores pitted against one another. It's possible they'll end them as well.
	10	Knicks · Trends	12
	The grind-it-out style of the playoffs means having Carmelo Anthony's super-ISO offense is a whole different thing.
	11	Grizzlies · Trends	8
	The Grizzlies are on the worst-looking five-game winning streak ever.
	12	Nuggets · Trends	10
	Oh, look, Denver, you found your offense under the porch! Good job! Maybe that'll teach you not to be so cavalier with it.
	13	Jazz · Trends	16
	The Jazz hope the first round's title will be "Hidden Tiger, Crouching Millsap."
	14	Mavericks · Trends	17
	I've decided the Mavericks' 2012 season is "Cabin in the Woods." It looks like your standard horror show, but there's so much more going on.
	15	Suns · Trends	13
	If this were Steve Nash's last legitimate playoff run ... #slowclap
	16	76ers · Trends	19
	"Mr. and Mrs. Sixers fans? Hi. Yes, I'm Dr. Easy Schedule. Your team is stable. It's resting comfortably. It was touch-and-go for a while, but we managed to repair the playoff eligibility. It's going to make it. ... You don't look happy?"
	17	Rockets · Trends	15
	Oh, look. The late lottery. There's a new area for the Rockets to explore. #stare
	18	Magic · Trends	14
	The Orlando Magic: The walking, talking reason for the league to enact a "you can trade your playoff spot for a lottery pick" rule.
	19	Bucks · Trends	18
	A pivotal offseason for the Bucks is set to begin. It's extremely unlikely, but imagine if this team lands a top-three pick.
	20	Timberwolves · Trends	22
	To the tune of "Total Eclipse of the Heart:" "Ru-bi-o, every now and then I get a little bit lonely and your leg still isn't healed. Ru-bi-o, every now and then I get a little bit tired of Beasley getting killed on defense ..."
	21	Trail Blazers · Trends	21
	The Blazers were 12-9 on Feb. 1. This completes today's lesson in "How quickly things can go to hell in a handcart."
	22	Kings · Trends	23
	The Kings can look back and point to legitimate growth. But the next steps are even more important. The leap from "promising young talent" to "team that doesn't make you want to gouge your eye out with a lobster fork" is a difficult process.
	23	Hornets · Trends	20
	Monty Williams and Dell Demps need to go bowling, get drunk and forget this year ever happened. Unfortunately, it's New Orleans, so finding alcohol could be a problem.
	24	Pistons · Trends	24
	Well, a young, inexperienced team like that is going to have ... what's that? Tayshaun Prince is how old? Oh, never mind, they're just bad.
	25	Raptors · Trends	25
	Dwane Casey can look back and say he changed the culture. The talent comes next, then the winning. The future is bright in Toronto.
	26	Nets · Trends	26
	I'm sure New Jersey is all choked up over losing the Nets. At least they're used to that when it comes to the Nets -- losing, that is.
	27	Cavaliers · Trends	27
	It had to get worse before it gets better. They've got their next franchise guy. Now they just have to build around him. And do it better this time.
	28	Warriors · Trends	28
	This had better have been worth it.
	29	Wizards · Trends	29
	The Wizards managed to move from pathetic joke to just pathetic by the end of the year. Progress in our time!
	30	Bobcats · Trends	30
	Now let us never speak of this again.