NBA NEWS

LEBRON HITS FREE AGENCY: JAMES NOT RETURNING TO LAKERS, PLANS TO PLAY 24TH SEASON ELSEWHERE

LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, which means another decision awaits.

A mere 16 years after his first famed “decision” — the one that saw him leave Cleveland for Miami — James is getting ready to change uniforms once again. He has told the Lakers that his eight-year run with them is over and that he’ll play a record-extending 24th NBA season elsewhere.

James has made clear many times in recent years that more championships are his motivation, which means it’s almost certain he’ll pick a team that he believes can contend for the NBA title in 2027. Golden State is believed to be on his list, though there are certainly some who will wonder if reunions with Cleveland and Miami are possible. Or, perhaps, a new landing spot awaits such as San Antonio, where he could partner with 7-foot-4 global megastar Victor Wembanyama.

“I’ve done it all. I’ve seen it all,” James said when the Lakers’ season ended in May — after what was his last game with the franchise. “Just being able to compete and trying to win championships, I think that’s a motivating factor.”

The first half of his decision is complete: He’s back for at least one more year, which means his family agreed to that part of the plan — James had said his wife Savannah and 12-year-old daughter Zhuri would have big says in whether he continued to play.

His next decision — where to play — is among the biggest dominoes that will fall during the NBA’s offseason player movement window, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded by Milwaukee to Miami.

The next step for James is hearing from interested teams — Golden State, Miami and Cleveland were among the clubs expected to make pitches, a person with knowledge of the plans said — before he picks a landing spot. How long the process will take is anyone’s guess, and the person made clear to The Associated Press that money won’t be a factor in James’ decision.

The Lakers released a statement Tuesday thanking James for his eight seasons with the club.

“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” said Jeanie Buss, part of the Lakers’ ownership group. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers, including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances, and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”

ESPN, citing James’ longtime agent and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, first reported James’ plans.

What happens now for James

The free agency period in the league opened at 6 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, which meant James and Paul could start taking those meetings. James will not be able to sign with a new team until the league’s offseason moratorium is lifted on July 6.

The momentum toward Golden State seemed to pick up when longtime Warriors forward Draymond Green did not exercise his $27.6 million option for this coming season earlier this week, in large part to allow his team flexibility to make other roster moves. It doesn’t mean Green won’t be back in Golden State — all indications are that he will — but it gives the team options.

“Personally, I’m always willing to work with the team on whatever is best, especially at this point in my career,” Green said on the latest episode of his podcast, which was released Tuesday. “So, my decision to opt out was for a few reasons. As you all know, I’ve always taken the approach of working with the organization. I’ve been in one place for 14 years. It’s more of a family to me than anything.”

Golden State is a franchise James faced four times with Cleveland in the NBA Finals. He also has close relationships with Green, Stephen Curry and Warriors coach Steve Kerr; Curry was his teammate and Kerr was his coach for the United States’ run to the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

James’ tenure with the Lakers was the longest he spent in one stint with an NBA team and he led them to the 2020 NBA championship. He became the NBA’s career scoring leader while wearing a Lakers uniform and surpassed a slew of other records while in purple and gold.

He spent the first seven years of his career in Cleveland, then left for four years in Miami, where he won the first two of his four championships. That was followed by another four-year stint with the Cavaliers (so he had 11 years there total), and in 2018 he joined the Lakers.

A career like none other

James is the NBA’s oldest active player; he turns 42 in December. He was the first player in league history to log 23 seasons; he’ll add at least one more to that this season. He also became the first player in the league to have a son as a teammate, with Bronny James playing alongside him with the Lakers.

The list of James’ accolades to this point are beyond comparison.

He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, and for his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.

“He created a whole new era for the Lakers, including leading us to an NBA Championship in 2020 and all the milestones he surpassed in a Lakers jersey,” Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson wrote on social media. “I’ll always love and be grateful for him and wish him all the best in the next phase of his life, on and off the court!”

NBA sets cap, tax lines for 2026-27

As is custom, the NBA revealed the salary cap for this coming season shortly before the formal start of the free agency window. The cap was set at $164.961 million, with the tax level at $200.428 million.

Other numbers released by the league:

— The minimum team salary is $148.465 million.

— The first apron level is $209.015 million.

— The second apron level is $221.686 million.

— The non-taxpayer midlevel salary is $15.044 million.

— The taxpayer midlevel is $6.064 million.

— The room midlevel is $9.366 million.

Hardaway Jr., Fontecchio to Heat

Tim Hardaway Jr. grew up in Miami, where his father’s jersey sways as one that the Heat retired. And now, he’ll follow in his father’s footsteps — agreeing to a $6.5 million deal to join the Heat and be one of the shooters around soon-to-be formally acquired Antetokounmpo. Miami also agreed with Simone Fontecchio on a deal that will only cost Miami $2.5 million against the cap.

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KAWHI LEONARD GOING BACK TO TORONTO AFTER RAPTORS MAKE DEAL WITH CLIPPERS, AP SOURCE SAYS

Kawhi Leonard is headed back to the Toronto Raptors, after they struck a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers to reunite with the player who led their run to the 2019 NBA championship, a person with knowledge of the talks said Tuesday.

The Raptors are sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and pick swap to the Clippers for Leonard, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not received the required league approval.

Leonard spent one season in Toronto, and that was the year the Raptors won their lone title. He turned 35 on Monday but is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging 27.9 points for the Clippers in 65 games.

Leonard is a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA champion (also having won in 2014 with San Antonio) and is generally considered one of the game’s top defensive players.

The trade is the latest in what’s becoming a long line of huge deals getting made between clubs already this summer, one that has seen Giannis Antetokounmpo getting traded by Milwaukee to Miami, Ja Morant getting moved to Portland by Memphis and now this — one where the Raptors will hope that Leonard can weave his title magic one more time.

Toronto agreeing to make this deal suggests that it isn’t worried about the ongoing probe into an endorsement deal that Leonard had with a California-based sustainability services company.

The NBA opened its investigation back in September into whether a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC — a company that filed for bankruptcy earlier this year — broke league rules, following a report by journalist Pablo Torre. The primary issue for the NBA to decide is if the deal allowed the Clippers to circumvent league salary cap rules.

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NBA TRANSACTIONS ROUNDUP: KEVIN HUERTER REPORTEDLY TO RETURN TO PISTONS

The Detroit Pistons plan to re-sign wing Kevin Huerter to a three-year, $27 million contract, multiple outlets reported.

NBA’s free agency period opens Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, at which time teams can begin negotiations with players other than their own.

The Pistons acquired Huerter, 27, at the trade deadline from the Chicago Bulls in a deal that also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves. Through the complex maneuvering, the Pistons also gained a first-round draft pick used to select guard Ebuka Okorie, who was Stanford’s leading scorer as a freshman in his only season there.

Huerter was acquired to help the Pistons score from long range. Huerter has career figures of 36.8% shooting from 3-point range and 11.4 points per game. After the trade, he failed to find his role with the Pistons immediately and also sustained multiple injuries that caused him to miss games. He found a groove in the final 11 games he played and averaged 11.5 points and 38.2% on 3-pointers in that span.

In other transactions Tuesday:

–The Atlanta Hawks acquired guard Devin Carter and a 2033 second-round draft pick from the Sacramento Kings, receiving the draft rights to Alpha Kaba — the 60th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The Kings selected Carter with the 13th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, and he appeared in 38 games (12 starts) in the 2025-26 season. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 18.4 minutes per game. Carter, 24, became expendable, however, when the Kings took guards Darius Acuff Jr. and Emanuel Sharp in the draft last week. Acuff was the No. 7 overall pick.

Kaba was the No. 60 overall pick in 2017 and has not played in the NBA. Now 30, he plays for the Shenzhen Leopards in the Chinese Basketball Association and for the national team of Guinea.

–Free agent small forward Simone Fontecchio plans to sign a one-year contract to return to the Miami Heat, ESPN reported.

Fontecchio, 30, averaged 8.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 70 games (nine starts) last season with Miami. The Italian also shot 37.5% shooting from 3-point range.

He has averaged 7.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 263 career games (58 starts) with the Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons and Heat.

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REPORT: WIZARDS WON’T ENTERTAIN TRADE OFFERS FOR ANTHONY DAVIS

The Washington Wizards don’t intend to trade veteran forward Anthony Davis after acquiring him at last season’s trade deadline, ESPN reported on Tuesday.

Buzz about a potential trade for Davis emerged on Monday when ESPN reported that the Golden State Warriors intended to pursue LeBron James in free agency and trade for Davis to reunite the teammates who won the 2020 NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James confirmed Tuesday that he’s going to leave the Lakers, but Washington seems to be making the second half of those plans difficult. It was reported last week that the Wizards are set to sign Trae Young to a four-year, $212 million deal after also trading for him at the trade deadline.

Davis will be eligible for a four-year, $275 million contract extension on Aug. 6, a deal that would replace the player option he currently has for the 2027-28 season. Inking those two to longer-term deals and pairing them with No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa gives the Wizards a core of sorts as they look to snap a five-year playoff drought.

Davis, 33, still hasn’t made his Washington debut as he was sidelined with ligament damage in his left hand when sent over from the Dallas Mavericks in February. He played a career-low 20 games last season, averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 blocks, and has battled injuries frequently, playing more than 56 games just once in the last six seasons.

The 10-time All-Star has career averages of 24.0 points and 10.7 rebounds in 807 games (800 starts) over 14 seasons with the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-19), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-25) and Mavericks.

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ROBERT WILLIAMS III AGREES TO A CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH THE TRAIL BLAZERS

Robert Williams III has agreed to a contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers that will keep him with the team through the 2028-29 season, the team announced Tuesday.

Williams, 28, averaged 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game this season, becoming a key contributor off the bench for Portland, which made the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

The 6-foot-10 center averaged 17.1 minutes a game in 59 games, but he did not play in back-to-back games for the Blazers after struggling with knee injuries for the previous two seasons.

“Rob has proven to be one of the league’s most impactful defenders, bringing rim protection, rebounding and offensive feel and versatility to our frontcourt,” Blazers general manager Joe Cronin said in a statement released by the team. “His veteran presence off the court has helped establish a culture of tenacity, grit, and accountability with our young guys, and we are excited to have him continue to represent Rip City.”

It was the second move the Blazers made in as many days. On Monday, the team traded forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Ja Morant.

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CENTER JOCK LANDALE AGREES TO $14 MILLION, 1-YEAR DEAL TO RE-SIGN WITH HAWKS, AP SOURCE SAYS

ATLANTA (AP) — Center Jock Landale has reached an agreement on a one-year, $14 million deal to re-sign with the Atlanta Hawks, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the deal cannot be singed or announced by the team before July 6.

The Hawks helped to clear financial room for Landale by declining their $24.3 million team option on forward Jonathan Kuminga. Monday was the last day for Atlanta to commit to the option and the decision made Kuminga a free agent.

Landale averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 23 regular-season games with Atlanta, but missed the team’s playoff loss to the New York Knicks because of a sprained right ankle. The Hawks acquired the 6-foot-11 Landale from the Utah Jazz on Feb. 4, one day after Landale was traded from Memphis to Utah as part of an eight-player deal.

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NBA SALARY CAP RISES 6.5% AS FREE-AGENT NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN

The NBA announced Tuesday that the salary cap for the 2026-27 season has been set at $164.961 million, which represents a 6.5% increase over the previous season.

In conjunction with the $10,420,000 rise in each team’s cap, the minimum team salary has climbed over $9.2 million to $148.465 million. The first apron level has jumped to $209.015 million — an increase of $13,070,000 — and the second apron level has moved to $221.686 million. That’s a rise of $13,862,000.

All of these numbers go into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, six hours after NBA teams were permitted to start negotiating with free agents. That period began at 6 p.m. Tuesday ET.

All free agent negotiations technically must cease at midnight Tuesday. That’s when the league’s moratorium period goes into effect until noon on Monday, July 6.

According to Spotrac.com, all 30 NBA teams except the Memphis Grizzlies are over the new cap number. The Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Orlando Magic are above the first apron, but no teams are hard-capped at this time by the second apron.

However, being over the cap does not necessarily mean the same thing as being out of cap space.

Per Spotrac, the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls each are projected to have at least $30 million in cap space to use on prospective free agents. The Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers can make moves to free up cap space.

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REPORT: BIDS FOR SOME NBA EUROPE FRANCHISES REACH $1 BILLION

Bids for all 12 planned future franchises of the soon-to-launch NBA Europe reached $500 million with some as high as $1 billion, Sportico reported Tuesday.

The NBA intends to launch NBA Europe by 2017, with 12 of the league’s 16 teams to be built from the ground up. Bids to own franchises in a dozen previously selected cities were due Monday.

The 12 predetermined cities are Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; Berlin; Istanbul; London; Lyon, France; Madrid; Manchester, England; Milan; Munich; Paris; and Rome.

Reports have indicated that Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is a potential investor in the Rome franchise.

“We’re extremely encouraged by the final bids we received for permanent franchises,” Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner, said in a statement. “This will be the biggest influx of capital European basketball has ever seen, and we have clear front-runners in each of our 12 target cities, including many existing basketball and football clubs. We will now work with the NBA and FIBA Boards to finalize the long-form agreements.”

Soccer

The report indicated that as many as 20 existing basketball and soccer clubs in Europe submitted ownership bids. NBA owners are not allowed to own teams in the new league.

The 16-team NBA Europe will be filled out with four existing FIBA franchises from various overseas leagues that will earn their way into the new league.

The reported bids for franchises met initial projections. Sports Business Journal reported earlier this year that potential owners would pay between $500 million and $1 billion for a franchise.

Sportico reported earlier this week that the NBA will fund financial losses as NBA Europe tries to establish itself. The 12 new permanent franchises are projected to at least break even in three years.

All future league equity will be split evenly between current NBA owners and ownership groups of the 12 new franchises.

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