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LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul wouldn’t put a specific timeline on his client’s free agent decision.
They’re in no rush, despite how badly the basketball world wants the NBA’s scoring leader to make a choice.
“There’s been multiple people calling and saying, ‘Hey, Rich, is there anything else we should do? We could do? And my answer is, ‘No. We don’t need you to go above and beyond. We understand. It’s clear. All messages have been sent,'” Paul said on the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman.
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Rich Paul talks with LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on January 4, 2026. (Getty Images)
Paul is basically saying that James has all the information he needs from potential teams, enough that he will be happy with the choice he ends up making.
However, Paul emphasized that James will do so when he is ready. And Paul has no idea when or where that will happen.
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“These people don’t know anything. I don’t know when his choice will be made, but it could be 48 seconds [from now]”, Paul explained. “It could take 48 minutes. I don’t know. Again, you can’t make someone know something they don’t know.”
It’s gotten to the point where James’ free-agent decision has caused drama throughout the NBA world as anticipation rises with each passing day.
At Fanatics Fest this past weekend, James made several appearances, with crowds flooding the Javits Center in Manhattan to see if he would reveal where he’s going. They were disappointed when he had nothing to reveal.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court in the closing minutes of Game 4 of a second-round NBA playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
Even NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned that James’ decision holds up the league’s schedule for next season. Paul mentioned that he met with Silver to discuss that situation, and reiterated that James will make the decision when he’s ready — not because of any other factor.
The debatable basketball “GOAT” helped the Lakers earn the No. 4 seed in a strong Western Conference this past season, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games. And even though Luka Doncic was unavailable in the playoffs, James was able to lead the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round before a sweep of the Oklahoma City Thunder in May.
James will turn 42 during the 2026-27 NBA season, but the 22-time All-Star and four-time MVP continues to prove his worth.
LeBron James speaks onstage during the Mind the Game panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on July 16, 2026. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics)
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But for those who think he’s dragging out another decision longer than it needs to be, Paul is stern with his answer: James won’t rush it.
The league – the world – will just have to wait for the right time.
