LeBron James is taking his sweet time before choosing his next destination this offseason. While some have speculated that the 22-time All-Star is prolonging the process for attention, others believe he is genuinely weighing all of his options ahead of what could be his final NBA season.
However, one league insider recently theorized that there may be another reason James has yet to sign, and it involves his former superstar teammates, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
NBA Insider Links Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving to LeBron James’ Drawn-Out Free-Agency Decision
Discussing James’ upcoming decision in his Wednesday article, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor noted that whenever the future Hall of Famer has signed with a new organization, he has typically had a plan in place to bring another superstar with him.
In 2010, James, alongside Chris Bosh, signed with the Miami Heat to form a Big 3 with Dwyane Wade. Four years later, he returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he teamed up with Kyrie Irving and, shortly after, Kevin Love. Then, in 2018, James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, who acquired Anthony Davis the following summer.
As a result, O’Connor believes a similar scenario could unfold this offseason.
“The popular theory around the league is that LeBron has been slow-playing his decision to see if any of his suitors could find a way to land Irving or Davis,” O’Connor wrote. “If a team proved capable of acquiring one of his championship teammates, sources say, it might sway him in that direction.
“Nobody has been able or willing to do it yet. The Irving path doesn’t seem to exist, and the Davis situation has stalled. For the first time, LeBron might have to choose between rosters as they are and not rosters as he wishes they were.”
LeBron James is reportedly slow-playing his decision to see if a suitor can trade for Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving, per @KevinOConnor pic.twitter.com/ZKeNCXKQAg
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) July 22, 2026
Still, O’Connor provided two potential landing spots for Irving and Davis. Regarding Irving, he mentioned a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers, noting, “The belief around the league is that LeBron would be more likely to choose the Cavaliers if the front office could replace Harden with Irving.”
However, he ultimately added that the scenario is very unlikely, as the Dallas Mavericks do not want to trade Irving, while the Cavaliers are more than happy to re-sign James Harden as their lead guard.
As for Davis, O’Connor linked the 10-time All-Star to the Golden State Warriors, writing, “I first reported three Sundays ago that the Warriors pursued trading Jimmy Butler for AD to lure James to the Bay Area. Thus far, the Warriors have been unable to reach a deal with the Wizards, who are signaling that they are more than happy to keep Davis. So the dream of running back the bubble title has problems too.”
It appears Irving and Davis are not going anywhere anytime soon, leaving James to make his free-agency decision without a corresponding move on the horizon. Regardless, whether it is the Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, or Minnesota Timberwolves, any organization that signs James would immediately become one of the most dangerous teams in the entire association.
