As LeBron James comes one step closer to his free agency decision, even his biggest rivals on the court are waiting in uncertainty over where the 41-year-old veteran will take his talents next.
Among them is the Suns player Dillon Brooks, who recently spoke about the former Lakers player at the NBA 2K League, a gaming tournament, happening simultaneously with the Summer League.
“This is me saying, LeBron, come back for one more year, man, come back for one more year. Stop all this waiting s–t,” said Brooks initially, sounding frustrated with the uncertainty combined with the eagerness to face James once again on the court.
“Oh, I’m top, I’m top, for sure,” he later added when the host asked him if he was the biggest LeBron James hater.
“I think Golden State,” Brooks concluded about where he thinks LeBron James will go next.
Dillon Brooks has maintained over the years that he does not like LeBron James, but it is a bit surprising that even he predicts James will eventually join the Warriors, since we believe they are his fourth-best option among potential landing destinations.
Moreover, Brooks has constantly taken shots not just at LeBron James but also at Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. And now he predicts that his most-hated player will join forces with two other players Brooks does not like.
Early indications suggested that the Warriors were frontrunners to land him, and the media also felt they had the upper hand. But the latest report from Shams Charania, the senior NBA insider for ESPN, indicates that LeBron James has boiled down his focus to three teams: the Cavaliers, the Heat, and the 76ers.
Therefore, it is likely that the Warriors are lagging in the race to land James. Since he does not have an emotional connection to the franchise, nor does he become a certain championship contender if he joins Stephen Curry, and (potentially) Draymond Green with an injured Jimmy Butler at the Warriors’ core.
There is also a media perception that joining the Warriors or the 76ers will be “cheating” to win a championship ring. And Rich Paul has clarified that James is not ring-chasing this season. So several red flags have emerged in LeBron James’ potential decision to join the Warriors.
I personally believe that James will not join the Warriors but would rather go to either the Cavaliers or the Heat to pursue his championship hopes while simultaneously also getting a much-deserved farewell tour if 2026-27 is his last season in the NBA.
But it remains to be seen where the 41-year-old takes his talents this summer.
