LeBron James agent says free agency choice will come on his timetable

LeBron James has not set a timetable for choosing his next NBA team, and his agent says the league’s all-time scoring leader will make the call on his own schedule. The decision matters for the NBA calendar because commissioner Adam Silver has said he wants clarity before the league finishes its schedule.

Rich Paul, James’s longtime agent, said Monday on the Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman that James will not be hurried into a free agency decision. Paul said the choice belongs to James and that he will announce it when he is ready.

Tuesday marked three weeks since Paul informed the Los Angeles Lakers that James, 41, would not return to the franchise for what would be a record 24th NBA season, according to Reuters. James spent the 2025-26 season with Los Angeles and became a free agent after it ended.

Paul said teams pursuing James have already made their cases. He said several people have asked whether they should do more, and his response has been that no extra pitch is needed because the messages are clear.

Possible teams in play

ESPN reported that possible destinations include the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers. The network also listed the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers as potential return options for James, who previously won championships in Miami and began his NBA career in Cleveland.

James addressed the wait briefly during a public appearance in New York last week, saying he would not keep people waiting much longer, according to Reuters. Paul, however, said on the podcast that there is no fixed deadline if James has not settled on a choice.

Paul also said he discussed the matter with Silver in New York. Silver said last Thursday that he wanted the four-time MVP and four-time NBA champion to make his announcement so the league could complete the schedule, according to Reuters.

Paul pushed back against the idea that James is extending the process to create drama. He said the situation should not be compared with James’s 2010 televised announcement, known as “The Decision,” when he left Cleveland for Miami.

According to Paul, James is making a business decision, and the timing should not be dictated by outside pressure. He said athletes should be allowed to take the time they need when deciding where to work next.

James’s recent production

James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds across 60 games for the Lakers in the 2025-26 season, according to Reuters. Over his career, he has averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in a record 1,622 games with three teams.

James is a 22-time All-Star and the NBA’s career scoring leader. His next team would shape the final stage of one of the league’s longest and most decorated careers, while also giving the NBA and its teams a clearer picture before the next schedule is set.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.