We have entered Day 22 of “What in the world is LeBron James going to do … and when is he going to do it?”
Spoiler: no one knows.
The Cleveland Cavaliers can only continue to hope James’ heart strings are pulling for a homecoming. Eight years after leaving the franchise for a second time, the four-time league MVP has the opportunity to come back where it all started and experience a storybook ending to one of the most storied careers in professional sports history.
So, what’s taking so long?
There are numerous factors being weighed into James’ decision, one of them is, perhaps, James’ oldest son and former teammate Bronny James, according to NBA insider Brandin Robinson. The younger James’ uncertain future could explain why James has not picked a team yet.
“That roster squeeze puts Bronny James squarely at the center of league-wide speculation,” Robinson wrote after the Lakers’ recent free agent signing put their roster over the league-mandated limit. “Although the Lakers fully guaranteed Bronny’s $2.3 million salary for the 2026–27 season after his developmental strides late last year, taking on Thybulle creates an obvious roster problem. Bronny stands out as an easy piece to move in a trade or sign-and-trade setup — and that exact dynamic might explain why LeBron is taking his sweet time in free agency.”
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GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 11: LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers warm up against the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Bronny, 21, will be a Laker next season unless he is traded or waived. Robinson believes one way to attract the elder James might be to acquire his son first.
“If a team attempting to land LeBron uses Bronny as a leverage point, acquiring the younger guard could tilt the scales in securing King James,” Robinson wrote.
That could explain why James has not decided where he wants to play next season. His agent, Rich Paul, has already told teams James already has the information he needed to make a decision. Is waiting to see if any team in the running for his services will make a move for his son?
“There’s been several people to call and say, ‘Hey, Rich, is there anything more we should be doing? We could be doing?’ ” Paul said on his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman. “And my answer is, ‘No. We don’t need you to go above and beyond about anything. We understand it. It’s clear. All the messages have been sent.’”
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GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 07: Bronny James #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers sit on their team’s bench during the first quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 07, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Every time he gets asked, Paul has the same response. He doesn’t know what James will do. Perhaps James doesn’t, either, at this point.
“I think it’s important for people to understand: We’re not making this about attention and a spectacle,” Paul said on his “Game Over” podcast. “It’s not about a ‘Decision’ or anything like that. He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make. We’re not going to sit here and decide or allow someone else to decide when he makes that decision. … It’s a business choice that he’s making. And I think as an athlete, why is it that an athlete has to rush his choice?”
James has played 11 of his 23 seasons in Cleveland. He would not have returned to the Cavs after a brutal exit four years earlier had he not felt an affinity for the city and a longing to win those fans a championship.
Of course, James is at an entirely different stage of his career now. If he returns, he won’t make any championship-sized promises.
But Cleveland just wants to see The Kid From Akron throw on the wine and gold one last time.
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