It’s been 23 days and counting. And the NBA is still for LeBron James to make his decision.
His agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, has put out messages to teams suggesting they not wait for James and that they should fill their remaining roster spots.
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Those messages came after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his desire for James to decide so schedule makers can determine the 2026-27 regular season, including important dates such as opening night and Christmas Day.
The idea is that James would be playing on those days, hence Silver’s desire to know which team he’ll choose. But James won’t be rushed, according to Paul.
It likely comes down to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers as the top three candidates to land James. However, the Golden State Warriors are not to be counted out yet.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets also have been in the discussion. According to USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes, James has all the information he needs and is weighing his options.
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USA TODAY Sports is tracking what’s happening behind-the-scenes for LeBron James’ next major basketball decision. Here’s the latest news, updates and rumors on Wednesday, July 22:
LeBron to Miami heats up after YouTube leak
07:45 AM ET, July 22 2026, Marcus D. Smith
Although it reportedly was an accidental post, the Miami Heat YouTube channel seems to be gearing up for a LeBron James reunion.
The organization’s social media department leaked a live stream video titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference” dated for July 27, 2026.
In the video description it mentioned it was a introductory press conference welcoming back James. The live stream was quickly made private.
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Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang, who covers the Heat, reported the Heat’s social media department mistakenly made the stream public, but maintained they are only prepping the video if James chooses Miami.
“It was a mistake by the Heat’s social media department while preparing for the possibility of LeBron picking the Heat. But there is no validity to it right now,” Chiang said on X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latest LeBron James free agency news, rumors, updates on ‘Decision’
