The Minnesota Timberwolves may not have much longer to wait.
After weeks of speculation surrounding LeBron James‘ future, the four-time NBA MVP offered his clearest indication yet Thursday that a decision is approaching, while ESPN insider Shams Charania reported the process is entering its final stages.
Speaking at the CNBC and Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York, James hinted that his next move will soon become public.
“I won’t hold you guys up too much longer,” James said.
The comment came less than a week after James informed the Los Angeles Lakers he intends to continue his career elsewhere, setting off one of the most closely watched free-agency races in recent NBA history.
For Minnesota, the latest timeline could bring clarity to an offseason in which the Timberwolves have quietly remained one of the league’s most intriguing suitors.
Shams: Decision Is Nearing
Charania said Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show that James has reached the point where interested teams have already presented their cases.
“I think as we get into next week, I do think this process is getting closer and closer to the end here,” Charania said.
According to Charania, executives across the league have delivered their recruiting pitches through James’ longtime agent, Rich Paul.
“LeBron James has all the information that he needs to make a decision,” Charania said. “All the GMs, the owners, the presidents—they’ve all made their pitch through Rich Paul.”
Some teams even submitted personalized voice memos as part of their recruiting efforts.
Charania again identified the Timberwolves among the five franchises still pursuing James, joining the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers.
Why Minnesota Timberwolves Appeal to James
Unlike some of the other teams in the race, Minnesota can offer James something he has consistently prioritized at this stage of his career: an immediate opportunity to compete for a championship.
The Timberwolves have emerged as one of the Western Conference’s top contenders behind Anthony Edwards while building a veteran roster capable of making another deep postseason run. Adding James would give Minnesota another elite playmaker without changing its identity as a defensive-minded team built to contend now.
Charania said James’ ultimate decision will center on one question.
“Happiness is the word of the day in terms of LeBron James,” Charania said. “But what encapsulates happiness? It’s a bunch of things. It’s being on a team that has a chance to compete. It’s giving yourself an opportunity to win and win big.”
Those priorities align with what Minnesota believes it can offer.
Rather than asking James to carry another franchise, the Timberwolves would be asking him to complement an established contender led by Edwards while chasing what would be the first NBA championship in franchise history.
LeBron Wait May Soon Be Over
Earlier Thursday at Fanatics Fest, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton attempted to ask James whether he had already made his free-agency decision during a live Mind the Game podcast.
James smiled before declining to answer.
“We literally talked about this in the back, Rese,” James said.
Hours later, however, James acknowledged publicly that the process is nearing its conclusion.
“I won’t hold you guys up too much longer.”
For the Timberwolves, that timeline may be the biggest update yet.
After spending weeks linked to one of the greatest players in NBA history, Minnesota could soon learn whether its championship pitch was enough to land him.
Timberwolves Get New LeBron James Decision Update After Insider Report