finance
Rich Paul Says LeBron James Will Not Decide Next Team Soon
LeBron James's agent stated on July 4 that no decision on the player's next NBA team is imminent. James informed the Lakers he will not end his career there after eight seasons. Paul listed nine possible destinations while stressing James faces no external pressure.
ForbesAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Rich Paul said July 4 that LeBron James will not decide on his next NBA team in the coming days or weeks. ” Paul described the choice as the first James has made entirely for himself. “This is the first time he’s making a decision that is truly for him.
There is no pressure,” Paul said. He noted that prior moves carried external demands: leaving Cleveland in 2010 required winning a title, and returning in 2014 required fulfilling a promise. James informed the Los Angeles Lakers he does not plan to finish his career with the franchise after eight seasons there.
Paul listed nine possible destinations: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs. He strongly suggested James would not join the Knicks because they recently won a championship. James, 41, enters his 24th NBA season.
In 2025-26 he earned $52 million while averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games, shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three-point range. He missed the Lakers’ first 14 regular-season games with right-hip sciatica but later adapted as the team’s third offensive option behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
Smith, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye. Paul said he remains on James’s schedule. “When he’s telling me what he’s deciding, that’s when I’ll let you guys know,” Paul said.
