LeBron James‘ decision on where to play next is the one big bit of drama left in free agency, and he is taking his time doing so. Here are the latest rumors around his decision.
As a reminder, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are considered the leaders in the chase, with the Philadelphia 76ers potentially on that tier depending on who you ask. Also still in the mix are the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.
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LeBron’s decision timeline
Get comfortable, we could be here a while.
While there was an expectation — or, maybe better phrased as a hope — in some league circles that LeBron would announce his decision this weekend, while the NBA media was largely assembled in Las Vegas for Summer League, it looks like things will drag out longer than that. NBA Insider Marc Stein put it this way in an appearance on the A Must Win Game podcast.
“More people than not that I speak to do not expect a resolution this week. The feeling is that this is going to seep into Summer League and will last until at least next week.”
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ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made an apt comparison to veteran NFL players who wait, let the market shake out, then make their call. From Windhorst’s appearance on Yahoo Sports (hat tip Real GM).
“He can join any team at any time. He can join a team in December. Because of that, there’s no reason not to see how things develop and see if anything alters the decision. Just because you think one way on July 10th doesn’t mean he’ll feel that way on July 20th.
“The timeline is completely his. It’s up to him. Because it’s smaller money, there’s no penalty for him to wait. I think this is what veterans are looking for. You see this in the NFL with veteran players near the end of their careers who aren’t playing for top dollar can do: sit, wait, and watch the market. He definitely has a favorite in his head, of course he would at this point, but there’s no penalty for waiting.”
So we wait.
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Would LeBron be happy in Philly?
Bob Myers made the case for LeBron to join the Philadelphia 76ers, and it is pretty straightforward: If he wants another ring, this is his best chance.
Meyers is the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the 76ers, and he appeared on “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul,” the podcast featuring LeBron’s agent (hat tip The Athletic).
“If he was (on the podcast), I’d say, ‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win. You have to decide all the other things that are equally important. … What I would say is if it’s about winning, ‘Let’s talk about that team because you can win in Philadelphia.'”
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Winning is part of the equation for LeBron, but not the only — and not necessarily the most important — factor in his decision. Which is something ESPN’s Windhorst got into on the network’s Get Up. It’s about his happiness.
League sources continue to tell NBC Sports that, reading the tea leaves, it feels like LeBron is headed back to Cleveland. That said, LeBron and his team are playing this very close to the vest, and nobody is sure exactly what he has planned.
Stephen Curry is in Lake Tahoe for the American Century Championships (which you can watch here on NBC and Peacock) and took a second to make his pitch for LeBron to join him in the Bay Area.
As much fun as a LeBron and Curry pairing would be to watch, it seems increasingly unlikely. Even if LeBron has been hanging out with Draymond Green lately.
