LeBron James is doing what anyone would do during a holiday weekend when they hold all the cards. He’s playing golf.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday that James is in absolutely no hurry to decide where he’ll play next season. The guy left the Lakers, entered free agency, and has essentially told the basketball world to hold its breath while he enjoys the summer.
“LeBron James is not in a rush right now to make a decision. There is no timetable,” Charania said on Get Up. He also dropped the detail that James has been hitting the golf course since making his initial call to enter free agency.
The patience thing is real. It’s also smart. James has been through this before. He knows the leverage only grows the longer he waits. Teams get nervous. They start offering more. They start convincing themselves they can make it work.
The Short List Is Taking Shape
Charania named three teams that have emerged as serious contenders: the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat. That’s not a surprise if you’ve been paying attention. Each of those franchises has some combination of championship pedigree, cap flexibility, and a role that makes sense for a 41-year-old legend who still averaged 25 points last season.
But here’s where it gets tricky. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the process hasn’t really started yet. Teams have expressed interest but there’s been no real back and forth. No meetings scheduled. No clarity on what the actual timeline looks like.
“Maybe after the holiday will see if things start to go but the teams don’t even have a sense of a timeline yet much less what will go into the decision,” Windhorst said.
Translation: Nobody knows anything. Not the teams. Not the reporters. Probably not even Rich Paul, James’ agent, who Charania said has been overwhelmed with pitches from pretty much every team with a pulse.
The Philly Subplot
The Philadelphia 76ers keep popping up in rumors. The logic is there. They just traded Paul George to Boston for Jaylen Brown, which cleared cap space and added a young star. Pairing James with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey would give the Sixers something they haven’t had since the Process era started: a real path to a title.
But nothing is close. James is reportedly looking for a team with legitimate championship potential, which rules out about half the league. The Lakers are out. The Warriors, Cavs, and Heat are in. The Sixers might be in too, depending on who you ask.
For now, James is on the course. Maybe he’ll make a decision next week. Maybe after the All-Star break. Maybe he’ll just keep playing golf and let the NBA scramble. That’s the power of being LeBron James in July.
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