Adam Schefter covers the NFL for a living. But this week, he waded into NBA free agency with a theory that has nothing to do with basketball. And honestly? It’s kind of brilliant in its simplicity.
The ESPN insider appeared on Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic and was asked where he thinks LeBron James lands after leaving the Lakers. Schefter didn’t hesitate.
“I still think that he’s going to wind up in Miami. That’s my guess,” Schefter said. He added that a source flagged Miami to him right when free agency opened, and that tip has stuck with him ever since.
The reasoning? It’s not about roster fit, championships, or even LeBron’s son Bronny. It’s about golf. Specifically, LeBron’s apparently obsessive new hobby.
“He has become a rabid golf fan, fanatical about it,” Schefter said. “Every time I’m on social media, the guy’s playing golf, he’s watching golf. Where can he do the most of that? He can do that in Miami.”
The Golf Connection Is Real
This isn’t just Schefter spitballing. LeBron’s golf habit has become an open secret around the league. Teammates and opponents have noticed. Golden State’s Stephen Curry brought it up unprompted while discussing LeBron’s free agency, joking that he’d rather play golf with LeBron than basketball.
For a guy who’s spent two decades under a microscope, year-round Miami weather for golf might actually matter. South Florida has some of the best courses in the country. And LeBron already has a home there. He knows the area from his four years with the Heat.
The Actual Basketball Side
Of course, the golf thing is just one factor. The real basketball chase is crowded. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Cleveland, Miami, and Philadelphia are the clear frontrunners. LeBron reportedly took the Sixers’ pitch seriously after they traded for Jaylen Brown.
Other reports say LeBron’s camp laid out a board of teams ranging from the Warriors to the Nuggets. So nobody’s ruling anything out.
But here’s the thing about Schefter’s theory: it’s not stupid. Miami has the cap space, the warm weather, and a franchise that LeBron already won two titles with. And if he wants to play 36 holes a day in December, there’s nowhere better.
Whether golf actually tips the scales is impossible to know. LeBron is taking his time, as usual. For now, the speculation machine is running hot. And a golf course in Miami is probably the last place he’d want to talk about it.
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