Did the Miami Heat just accidentally spoil the LeBron James signing?
According to multiple users on social media, the Heat’s YouTube channel posted a video titled “LeBron James introductory press conference” scheduled for July 27, but then took the video down soon after.
According to Heat Nation, the description of the video read, “Press conference for LeBron James welcoming him back as a member of the Miami HEAT” along with several hashtags relating to the Heat and the NBA.
“miamiheat Introductory Press conference for LeBron James welcoming him back as a member of the Miami HEAT”
The video was immediately unlisted and privated.
(via @HeatvsHaters)
A few screengrabs of the deleted scheduled YouTube video can be seen below.
LeBron James to Miami Heat Done?
The apparent leaks — though not verified by a significant news outlet — come at a time when there’s increasing chatter of James returning to South Beach for his 24th season.
This week, ESPN analysts Kendrick Perkins and Chiney Ogwumike both said they heard that the Heat had surpassed the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers in the pecking order to sign James during the Fanatics Fest.
“I heard that Miami is at the top of the list,” Perkins said on ESPN’s “NBA Today.”
“…. If Miami wants some real motion, Giannis already done his press conference so he’s there. He has to pick up the damn phone. That’s what LeBron James wants.”
Ogwumike said she had heard similar chatter.
“I’m saying Miami,” Ogwumike said. “Amongst conversations, [it] came up like, ‘Oh, don’t sleep on them.’”
The former WNBA star believes the Heat will give James the best opportunity to “feast” as he can overtake ball-handling and playmaking duties while playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
“When you look at the basketball of it all, he has probably the greatest opportunity to make an impact if he’s playing the one, the two or three where he normally feasts,” Ogwumike stressed.
Lebron James Free Agency: No Timeline
Even as NBA commissioner Adam Silver and scores of former players have pressed James to make his decision quickly, the four-time NBA champion is in no hurry.
“We’re not going to be rushed,” Paul said on the “Game Over” podcast on Monday, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “We’re not going to be rushed. It’s his choice to make and when he makes the choice, he’ll make it.”
Paul’s comments were a response to Silver urging James to make a decision swiftly so the league can proceed with finalizing the schedule for the 2026-27 season.
Several reports have claimed that James could make his decision this week, but Paul stressed that his client is not operating with a set timeline in mind.
“These people don’t know anything,” Paul said of the LeBron James free agency.
“I don’t know when his choice is going to be made, but it could be 48 seconds [from now]. It could be 48 minutes. I don’t know. Again, you can’t make somebody know something that they don’t know.”
LeBron James Next Team Accidentally Leaks Signing News (And Deletes)