Editor’s note: Find July 1 live updates from NBA free agency here.
As LeBron James enters the free agent market as the most accomplished 41-year-old in NBA history, teams with championship aspirations are no doubt inquiring about his availability as he and agent Rich Paul scope out the lay of the land as teams chase and sign players in order to dethrone the champion New York Knicks.
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With James, this decision isn’t about money; if it were, he would have immediately re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, who were told to plan to play their 2026-27 season without the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Loads of money for LeBron: Lakers, Nets, Bulls and Pistons
James is a Bird Rights free agent, meaning Los Angeles could have given him the value of his cap hold, which is $57.75 million for the upcoming season. A two-year deal with a player option could have been an option as well, in case he wants to retire after one more season.
There are few teams with the cap space to sign James, including the Brooklyn Nets, who are in total rebuild mode, putting them at a distinct disadvantage.
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The 2026-27 NBA salary cap was set at $164.961 million, so the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons can easily create cap space by waiving or trading players to get those salaries off the books.
Mid-level exception contenders: Warriors, Celtics, Heat and more
Golden State, which has been rumored to covet James’ services, will need to jump through some hurdles to acquire him. The Warriors are among nearly half the league that can offer a full mid-level exception. That list of teams also includes the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Dallas Mavericks.
This year’s mid-level exception is set at $15.044 million, and, of course, James must decide if an opportunity justifies getting maximum value for his services, but ESPN.com reported that he is willing to accept a minimum contract to play for a contender.
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Veteran minimum or bust: Cavaliers, Nuggets, Thunder
Speaking of the minimum, there are three teams that can offer James exactly that: The Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cavaliers, of course, would be a homecoming for James, as he spent 11 of his 23 seasons with the team and led them to their only championship in 2016. Cleveland is coming off a thumping in the East finals by the Knicks, and a third act of James would immediately put them as the conference favorite.
But for those teams to make room for James, they would not only have to offer him the minimum but also decide whether going further into another tier of salary cap space hell, known as the apron, is worth it. The Thunder seem content with where they are after signing their stars, including NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to long-term extensions last year.
Wherever James ends up playing will be a fascinating case study in how he fits with a new roster and whether he immediately puts a team over the hump to get his elusive fifth championship ring.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: In LeBron James free agency, these teams have the most, and least, money to spend
