Rich Paul says LeBron James will control the next move in his free-agency saga, even as the league waits for a decision that many around the NBA believe is nearing its end.
In comments to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of ScoopB.com, Paul said he’s guiding James through the process, but not steering the final call.
“LeBron will make his own decision,” Paul told Robinson. “I’m rolling with him.”
Paul also pushed back on the chatter that followed his podcast comments about the Cavs’ roster construction after the trade that sent Klutch Sports client Darius Garland to the Clippers. Those remarks sparked questions about whether he had soured on Cleveland’s chances or whether there was any friction involving new Cavaliers guard James Harden.
Paul made it clear that wasn’t the case.
“I like James Harden,” Paul said. “He’s actually my friend.”
He also said his frustration over Garland being dealt hasn’t 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 for more than a decade, but Paul’s comments underscored the long-running relationships he still has with people tied to the franchise.
James remains most closely linked 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 thought 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 call could come at any moment.
Robinson’s feature also includes interviews 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 destinations for James.
In Other News...
LeBron Reunion Dream Suddenly Looks Real For The Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have spent the offseason looking for ways to keep their books flexible while still leaving room for one more meaningful addition, and the path starts with the kind of cap maneuvering front offices dread but contenders often embrace. Cleveland is weighing roster moves that could clear enough space for another signing, with Dennis Schroder viewed as the most obvious trade chip if the team decides to reshape the back end of the roster and preserve room for a mid-level exception type of move.
LeBron James is the name that makes the whole exercise feel bigger than ordinary summer accounting, because the Cavaliers are now being discussed as a team that could potentially make room for a reunion if the rest of the dominoes fall the right way. The same cap math that could bring in another veteran also gives Cleveland some mid-season flexibility, which is why this remains more than nostalgia, even if the final answer still depends on how aggressively the front office chooses to clear the runway. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron To Cleveland Would Force A Massive Mitchell Mobley Conversation
The idea of LeBron James back in Cleveland always starts with the same question: how would the Cavaliers make the pieces fit around him? In a recent breakdown, basketball analyst Brandon Robinson sketched out a star-heavy lineup and focused less on the headline names than on the roles they would have to accept. The concept leaned on dual playmaking from LeBron and James Harden, while Donovan Mitchell would be freed up to do what he does best instead of carrying extra ballhandling duties.
Evan Mobley is where the conversation gets especially interesting for the Cavs, because his value in that kind of setup would hinge on how much he can expand beyond a traditional frontcourt role. Robinson even drew a parallel to Chris Bosh alongside LeBron in Miami, which is the sort of comparison that says as much about expectation as it does about talent. For Cleveland, the real intrigue is not whether the star power would be obvious. It is whether the roster would ask enough of Mobley to make the whole idea work. [Read more 🡒]
Max Strus Could Be Caught In Clevelands LeBron Dilemma
Max Strus has become one of the more interesting pieces of Clevelands offseason puzzle, not because of what he lacks, but because of what his contract can do for the Cavaliers while they wait on LeBron James. Strus was useful when healthy, giving Cleveland shooting, defense and some playoff seasoning, and that makes him more than just a salary slot on a spreadsheet. Still, the front office has to weigh whether his deal is better kept in place or used as part of a broader roster shuffle.
Jaylon Tyson gives the Cavaliers at least one reason to think they could survive without Strus if they need to open room. The timing matters, too, because moving him now would be very different from holding him into the season and revisiting the market later, when more teams are looking to buy or sell. For Cleveland, the decision is less about Strus alone than about whether the next move is tied to James or to a plan that keeps the roster intact. [Read more 🡒]