LeBron James's Agent May Have Hinted at Offseason Path With Slip of the Tongue

Patrick Andres | May 25, 2024

May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; LeBron James and his wife Savannah watch Bronny James participate in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

All agent Rich Paul had to do Friday evening was pop on TNT's alternate broadcast of Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, discuss client and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James in anodyne fashion, and get out.

Instead, Paul may have fired the starting gun on another round of the James sweepstakes.

"LeBron's a free agent," Paul said. "I gotta focus on his business ... and let the Lakers hire who they want to hire. He's always showed up and played for whatever coach is there."

That would be a less eyebrow-raising statement if James were an unrestricted free agent rather than the holder of a $51 million player option for 2025—a slip of the tongue TNT's Chris Haynes immediately clocked.

Rich Paul: “LeBron is a free agent.”

… but LeBron currently has a pending player option. Interesting slip up from his agent. 👀

(via @ChrisBHaynes) pic.twitter.com/5IrtdnP8C1

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 26, 2024

"You said something, Rich. You said LeBron's a free agent. So I take it LeBron's gonna decline that player option," Haynes said.

"Chris, you know I don't do my business over the air, man," Paul chided the reporter.

"I understand! I just heard what you said," Haynes retorted.

Regardless of whether or not James intends to go through it, NBA free agency opens June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.