LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers catches his breath during Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) catches his breath during a break in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs on May 11, 2026. (Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

LeBron James Says He’ll Pick Next Team Soon: ‘I Won’t Hold You Guys Up Too Much Longer’

Ashish MathurJuly 16, 2026 3:20 PMJuly 16, 2026 3:34 PM

LeBron James said on Thursday (July 16) at the CNBC and Boardroom Game Plan Summit that he will pick his next team soon.

The 41-year-old is expected to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets.

“I won’t hold you guys up too much longer,” James said.

James spent the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He guided the franchise to the 2020 championship at the Walt Disney World bubble and the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

James made eight All-Star teams and seven All-NBA teams with the Lakers. He averaged 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game in the regular season and 25.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game in the playoffs.

“Shoutout my former team, I spent eight great years with the Los Angeles Lakers,” James said. “One of the most historical franchises in the world. Shoutout Jeanie Buss, the whole Buss family. Rob Pelinka. Everybody. All the coaches that I played for there. All my teammates. S—, I am going to miss them all, obviously. So, that was an unbelievable ride and I’m just looking forward to what holds next as I wind down the final stages of my journey.”

The Lakers went 53-29 last season. James and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, let Los Angeles know at the start of July that they were moving on.

James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game for the Lakers last season as the third option behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. The future Hall of Famer was the No. 1 option for Los Angeles in the playoffs because Dončić didn’t play due to a hamstring injury and Reaves missed Games 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first round with an oblique injury.

James put up 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game in the 2026 playoffs in 10 games against the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder. He remains an elite performer despite being the oldest active player in the NBA, which is why several teams are interested in signing him.

A 22-time All-Star, James has been in the NBA since 2003. He’s a four-time MVP, four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. The Akron native is the all-time leader in points, field goals, minutes and games. Many individuals consider James, who has made 21 All-NBA teams, to be the greatest basketball player of all time.

The only player in NBA history to rank top five all-time in points and assists, James holds career averages of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in the regular season and 28.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in the playoffs with the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers. He won the 2012 and 2013 championships with the Heat, the 2016 championship with the Cavaliers and the 2020 championship with the Lakers.

It will be intriguing to see where James is playing next season. The sports icon turns 42 in December.

“So, wherever I land in the fall, hopefully you’re ride-or-die LeBron fans if you’ve been down with me since day one, I hope you ride with me there,” James said. “If you’re a ride-or-die LeBron hater, that’s what you do anyway. So, I’m looking forward to seeing you as well. But it’s going to be pretty fun. It’s going to be pretty fun. Wherever I land, I’m going to do what I do best.”