Rich Paul says LeBron James is going to steer his own free-agency call, even as the buzz around where he lands keeps building.
In an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of ScoopB.com, James’ agent said he is advising the longtime star through the process, but not making the decision for him.
“LeBron will make his own decision,” Paul told Robinson. “I’m rolling with him.”
Paul also took time to push back on the chatter that followed his podcast comments about the Cavs’ roster after the trade that sent Klutch Sports client Darius Garland to the Clippers. Those remarks sparked questions about whether he had doubts about Cleveland’s outlook or any issue with new Cavaliers guard James Harden.
Paul said that wasn’t the case.
“I like James Harden,” Paul said. “He’s actually my friend.”
He also made it clear that his frustration over Garland being dealt has not changed his view of the organization.
“I rock with Dan Gilbert, Chris Grant, Koby Altman and Brandon Weems,” Paul told Robinson.
Grant has not been with the Cavs in more than 10 years, but Paul’s comments underscored how long those relationships have lasted around the franchise.
James remains tied most closely to the Cavs, Warriors, Heat, 76ers and Timberwolves. League sources continue to tell Hoops Wire that Cleveland is seen as the frontrunner, while Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami are all believed to be pushing hard.
James is expected to be at Fanatics Fest in New York later this week, and around the league there’s a growing sense that his long-awaited free-agency decision could come at any moment.
Robinson’s feature also includes conversations with Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, James Harden, Evan Mobley, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Ben Simmons, Dean Wade and Thomas Bryant, plus a deeper look at how the Cavs and 76ers compare as possible landing spots for James.
In Other News...
Eugenio Surez Just Reached A Painful Crossroads With The Reds
Eugenio Surez came back to Cincinnati with the kind of expectations that usually follow a familiar face returning to a place where he once mattered. Instead, the season has been defined by interrupted rhythm and missed time, including a left oblique strain that cost him 25 games, and by the broader frustration of a Reds club sitting in last place and looking toward the August 3 trade deadline with a sellers mindset.
For Surez, the crossroads is less about nostalgia than about whether there is still enough production left to matter in the stretch run. His offensive numbers have lagged, his defensive value has slipped, and even with Terry Francona publicly showing faith in what Surez can still provide, the bigger question around the veteran is whether Cincinnati can get enough out of him to change the conversation at all. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Just Got A Costly New Reality On Jacob Misiorowski
The Reds long-term bet on Chase Burns has already sent a ripple through the division, and it is the kind of move that tends to reset the market for young pitching. A seven-year, $105 million extension gives Cincinnati cost certainty on a right-hander with front-line upside, while also putting a fresh price tag on what elite, pre-arbitration arms can command when teams decide to buy out the future early.
For Milwaukee, that matters because Jacob Misiorowski is now the next name to watch in the same conversation. The Brewers have a pitcher whose performance this season has only strengthened his case, and the Burns deal suggests any serious extension talks would have to climb well past that benchmark. In other words, if the Brewers want to lock Misiorowski in, they may be staring at a number that gets uncomfortable in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Prospect Just Made The Kind Of Debut Fans Notice
Ben Wereski did not need long to make an impression in the Reds organization. The Double-A right-hander, now with the Chattanooga Lookouts, was named Player of the Week after a dominant first outing that immediately put him on the radar in a system that has been leaning hard toward college arms and polished, ready-made talent in recent drafts.
Wereskis path makes the debut even more notable. He pitched at Columbia and Rutgers, spent time in independent ball before landing with Cincinnati, and arrived with the kind of backstory that often comes with a little extra urgency. With the Reds continuing to build around college players and with draft rules potentially shifting in ways that could change how clubs like Cincinnati attack future classes, performances like this one only sharpen the conversation around who might be next to rise. [Read more 🡒]