Rich Paul: ‘Up to a dozen teams monitoring LeBron’s free agency’

Rich Paul revealed that between 10 and 12 NBA franchises have shown interest in LeBron James ahead of his upcoming free agency, but stressed that speculation is running far ahead of reality. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, the Klutch Sports agent cautioned that no discussions have taken place, adding that “nothing circulating should be believed” until he actually speaks with James. The Lakers star will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, while Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka has reiterated the franchise’s intention to bring him back for a 24th NBA season and a ninth year in purple and gold.

If the Lakers choose not to re-sign him, they could open nearly $50 million in cap space and reshape the roster around Luka Doncic and a potential extension for Austin Reaves. Golden State and Cleveland have been linked to James, though both would likely require him to accept a significant pay cut.