Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James waits for play to resume against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center.

Feb 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) waits for play to resume against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

LeBron James ‘Truly Close’ To Picking Next Team

Ashish MathurJuly 18, 2026 2:07 PMJuly 18, 2026 3:34 PM

LeBron James is “truly close” to picking his next team, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Many people within the NBA believe a decision will come next week.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver wants James to make his decision ASAP.

“Where LeBron plays will affect the schedule,” Silver said at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom: Game Plan Summit. “So, I would like him to make his announcement already, so we can finish the schedule. Because, as you might imagine, the teams are calling us, the networks are calling us, and everybody wants to lock in the schedule. … It will influence how we set the schedule, how we set opening week, Christmas Day, etc., etc. So, I need him to make a decision.”

James is expected to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets.

Multiple sources have been telling Dallas Hoops Journal since June that they expect James to sign with the Cavaliers.

James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers last season. He then 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.

Los Angeles beat Houston in the first round in six games but lost to OKC in the second round in four games.

The sole 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 his hometown Cavaliers and the 2020 championship with the Lakers at the Walt Disney World Bubble.

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 people consider James, who has made 21 All-NBA teams and 22 All-Star teams, to be the greatest basketball player of all time.

“I want to compete at a high level,” James said at Fanatics Fest on Friday (July 17). “I want to join a franchise that shares the same model as myself. That’s like practicing championship habits every day. But trust in the process more than anything. I think you trust the process of actually getting to that point.

“The process is what’s most important. Because if you just fully immerse yourself in that, then the outcome will take care of itself. If you’re already worried about the championship, or you’re already worried about the playoffs, already worried about what lies ahead, then you will skip steps along that journey. So, being with a franchise, being with a group of guys that kind of has the same model.”

A future Hall of Famer, James turns 42 in December. It will be fascinating to see where the NBA legend is playing next season.