LeBron James Likely to Return to Eastern Conference in Free Agency

LeBron James is more than likely to return to the Eastern Conference when he selects his next team, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. His agent told outlets that the NBA world must continue to wait for an announcement. James passed on the chance to reveal his plans during a live taping of The Shop at the Javits Center on July 17.

The appearance was his fourth and final scheduled public event at Fanatics Fest. He joined tennis player Novak Djokovic and soccer player Folarin Balogun as guests. James and Maverick Carter handed hosting duties of the show to Travis Bennett and Steelo Brim, ending their eight-year run as primary hosts.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had pressed for a decision the previous day at a separate Fanatics Fest event. Silver stated that James' choice would affect the league schedule, including opening week and Christmas Day games. James said his top priority remains competing at a high level with a franchise that practices championship habits and trusts the process.

He noted he has used the phrase "trust the process" since his 2003 draft. He added that eight straight years of different champions mean every team enters the season believing it could win a title.