Reports indicate LeBron James is interested in joining three to four teams! Cavaliers and Warriors included; if he wants a max contract, he cannot stay with the Lakers.

On February 12th Beijing time, ESPN insider Wojnarowski talked about LeBron James’ future on a podcast. He said that if LeBron and the Lakers separate during the offseason, he is considering three to four teams, including the Cavaliers and Warriors, with one or two more teams he prefers not to reveal yet.

“Last year, the Lakers had the opportunity to extend LeBron’s contract but chose not to. This is the first time in LeBron’s 23-year career that he has entered the final year of his contract. Obviously, he has previously opted out and left as a free agent, but he has never played a contract year before. I understand why the Lakers made this decision since they are currently building their team around Doncic.”

“They might be able to allocate that $52 million more effectively. By the way, when I say ‘more effectively,’ I’m not suggesting they give LeBron nothing. For example, they could offer LeBron $30 million and use the remaining $20 million elsewhere. But to make the team as strong as possible, they can’t pay LeBron $50 million next year. It’s simply not feasible because Doncic’s salary is close to that amount, and Reeves will also earn nearly that much. You can’t have three perimeter players who aren’t elite ball handlers or defenders consuming such a huge salary cap space.”

“If LeBron insists on $50 million, things will get complicated. I do believe he is still an All-Star level player, but I’m not sure if he’s worth a max contract of $50 million. He does want to stay with the Lakers.”

Then, Wojnarowski analyzed the three choices LeBron faces —

“First, his physical and mental condition: does he still want to keep playing? The issue is — he himself might be uncertain. The Lakers need to know the answer by June because the offseason starts then. He might take longer to decide, but he must make this decision first.”

“Even if he continues playing, how much salary is he willing to accept? $30 million? $15 million? Dirk Nowitzki once took two significant pay cuts to stay with the Mavericks. Although controversial — whether it helped the team or just saved the owner money without improving the team’s strength — that’s another matter. A veteran with 20 years of experience took a major pay cut to remain on the team.”

“So, if LeBron insists on the max salary, he probably won’t stay with the Lakers. The second option: take a pay cut to stay with the Lakers. But how much of a cut? There are still many unknowns.”

“Third, if he becomes a free agent, will he join another team? Will he go for the money, or will he take a pay cut for comfort and a chance to win? This could very well be his final year, and he must approach it with that mindset, choosing a place where he can comfortably finish the season.”“There are a few reasonable options: the Cavaliers are one. The Warriors, depending on their roster situation at that time. There are one or two other teams I can’t disclose now, but I’m watching closely.”“Around All-Star Weekend, I don’t want to stir up any trouble. This isn’t speculation; I just prefer not to make it public now. If he’s willing to accept a salary suitable for other teams and only play one year, he will have very attractive options.”