LeBron Has NBA Waiting

Morning Edition

July 24, 2026

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LeBron James is making the entire NBA wait. Free agency has slowed to a crawl, and even commissioner Adam Silver says the league can’t finish its schedule until LeBron decides where he’s going to play next.

—Alex Schiffer

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LeBron’s Free Agency Continues to Stall NBA Offseason

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

LeBron James continues to hold up the rest of the NBA while he decides on his next team.

It has been 23 days since James parted ways with the Lakers after eight seasons, leading to nearly a month full of speculation as to where the 41-year-old will play next.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently said at a CNBC event last week that the league can’t formally set its schedule without knowing where one of its biggest stars will be playing.

“We have to finish up the schedule, and where LeBron plays affects the schedule,” Silver said. “It will influence how we set the schedule—opening week, Christmas. So I need him to make a decision.”

But James is also holding up the rest of free agency around the league as several key players remain unsigned, with the teams interested in them remaining in a holding pattern until the NBA’s all-time leading scorer makes up his mind.

A common denominator among some of the main unsigned free agents: They are also represented by James’s agent in Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul.

In most years, the NBA goes into hibernation in late July. The league’s personnel and media descend on Las Vegas for Summer League when most of free agency is wrapped up and then head out on vacation until the regular season comes within view in September.

But James is extending the offseason and is holding up deals for multiple teams and potential teammates as he ponders his destination.

“We’re definitely working later than usual,” one front office executive told Front Office Sports.

James’s free agency has extended longer than any of his previous ones combined. In 2010, he went eight days before announcing he would sign with the Heat during “The Decision.” The time between his departure from Miami and return to Cleveland four years later lasted 10 days. And it took just 18 hours for James to announce he was heading west to Los Angeles in 2018.

All of James’s free agencies began with an ending in mind. He ended his first one on ESPN, second with a Sports Illustrated op-ed, and third through the Klutch Sports X/Twitter account. But the length of his current free agency leads one to wonder whether it has the game plan his previous ones had.

First in line for new deals after James decides are James Harden (Cavaliers) and Draymond Green (Warriors). Harden declined his $42.3 million player option for next season on June 29, the day before James parted ways with the Lakers, to sign a long-term deal in Cleveland. Harden, who turns 37 next month, wants an NBA championship and is reportedly willing to sign for less money to have James alongside him.

The Cavaliers could potentially offer James the full mid-level exception of $15 million if Harden takes a pay cut and if the team trades Jarrett Allen and Max Strus. But if James is fine taking the veteran minimum of roughly $4 million, it wouldn’t be necessary.

Then there’s the case of Green, who declined his $27 million player option with the Warriors in an attempt to help lure James to Golden State. The Warriors can offer James the full mid-level exception without performing any trades, but it would require Green to sign for less. Green is another Klutch client James is keeping in limbo.

Peyton Watson, another Klutch client, and Jalen Duren, round out some of the other major unsigned free agents all awaiting a decision from James.

Spend on the Kit. Save for the Kickoff

Being a sports fan isn’t just a passion—it’s a full financial commitment. The jerseys. The season tickets. The road trips. Every dollar you spend is a vote for the athletes and the future of the game. We respect that energy. We also know the math can often feel … lopsided.

That’s where Ally Bank comes in. With our smart spending and savings tools, you can save while you spend—so by the time playoffs roll around, your savings are already in the stands. Buy the jersey. Book the trip. Renew the tickets. We’ll make sure your money keeps pace with your passion.

LOUD AND CLEAR

Missing Context

USA Today via Reuters

“I obviously did not provide enough context for that.”

—USA Today columnist Nancy Armour wrote that Thursday while responding to backlash over her comparison involving the 1955 murder of Emmett Till in a column about Caitlin Clark and the WNBA. Armour called the comparison “inartful” and said she regretted that her lack of context had overshadowed concerns about threats and abuse directed at Black players.

USA Today updated the column with an editor’s note saying it had added context and clarity. The company told Front Office Sports that the piece was clearly labeled opinion and that it would not comment further.

DAILY SPORTS TRIVIA

Can you list the last five unique host cities of the WNBA All-Star Game?

ONE BIG FIG

More All-Star Cash

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

$170,000

That’s the amount of additional prize money the WNBA players’ union is putting up for this weekend’s All-Star skills competitions, up from $115,000 last year. The extra payouts mean the 3-Point Contest winner can earn as much as $70,000 in combined league and union prize money. This year’s contest is headlined by Azzi Fudd, Marina Mabrey, and Rhyne Howard.

The expanded bonuses come just after the league’s new collective bargaining agreement dramatically increased player salaries, but the union continues pushing to boost player earnings beyond their contracts. This year’s prize pool also marks the first time non-winners in the 3-Point Contest will receive additional cash payouts.

Spend on the Kit. Save for the Kickoff

Being a sports fan isn’t just a passion—it’s a full financial commitment. The jerseys. The season tickets. The road trips. Every dollar you spend is a vote for the athletes and the future of the game. We respect that energy. We also know the math can often feel … lopsided.

That’s where Ally Bank comes in. With our smart spending and savings tools, you can save while you spend—so by the time playoffs roll around, your savings are already in the stands. Buy the jersey. Book the trip. Renew the tickets. We’ll make sure your money keeps pace with your passion.