The NBA is once again waiting for LeBron James to make his decision. After making it clear he would not return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season, all eyes turned to James and a possible return to the Eastern Conference to rejoin one of his former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat, and make a run at one last championship.
There are reportedly other teams in the mix as well, and they have approached James in an unusual way.
Teams Reportedly Contacting LeBron James With Voice Notes Through Rich Paul
When James officially became a free agent, he and his agent, Rich Paul, called on the league to reach out to him. From there, according to Paul, 27 teams spoke to him about James potentially joining their team.
Paul has been careful not to reveal too much, but he has been dropping hints about where James could go, suggesting the Cavaliers, Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers are the teams standing out as the leading contenders for the league’s all-time leading scorer. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves are also reportedly in the mix.
“One interesting wrinkle that has occured in the last couple of days is some of the leading suitors for LeBron James, whether that’s a Golden State, Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia, some of them have been able to send a voice note to LeBron James via Rich Paul,” Charania explained.
“So whether it’s an owner, a president or a general manager, they are able to record a voice note and that makes it’s way to LeBron James.”
Shams: Some pursuing teams have sent a voice note to LeBron James through Rich Paul.pic.twitter.com/lZVNLuJeap
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) July 9, 2026
Of course, there is a lot more to it for James, and that context matters here.
“This is just a part of LeBron James’ process,” Charania said. “Some studying as he makes a decision. He has not been in a rush. There has been no timetable that he’s been operating under.”
Charania said James has spent time with family and friends and has been playing golf while back in Akron. According to Charania, James has been spending time with Brandon Weems, a former player and current Cavaliers’ executive with whom James grew up.
That’s an interesting way of doing things, and it also helps keep Paul and James from getting hounded by phone calls and other types of communication.
The Cavaliers remain the favorite to land James, as he can have a second homecoming, followed by playing in front of the hometown fans where his career started.
It doesn’t hurt that the Cavaliers have a backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden and a frontcourt that includes Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, while the other teams in the mix face a tougher path.
In all of the scenarios, James would likely be taking a back seat to another scorer or two, much like he did in Los Angeles last season.
Although there is no rush with James’ decision, if he does want to return to Cleveland or join another team with a similar cap situation, that team may have to do some maneuvering before it can sign James. That means a move by one of these teams could signal just what James is doing, with Cleveland still viewed as the favorite.
