Sport: Basketball Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Cavaliers, Heat, Celtics compete for LeBron James as free agent

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 4, 2026, 7:22 PM

Last updated Jul 4, 2026

Cavaliers, Heat, Celtics compete for LeBron James as free agent

Summary

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics are reportedly pursuing four-time NBA champion LeBron James, who is expected to leave the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason. This potential bidding war follows James' recent meetings with Stephen Curry, raising speculation about teaming up with the Warriors. With the Philadelphia 76ers also making moves to strengthen their roster, James' options for joining a championship-caliber team appear diverse. His previous contract with the Lakers was valued at $101 million, while his next contract is anticipated to be smaller. The race for James is gathering momentum as teams position themselves ahead of the free agency period.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

What We Know

•Cavaliers, Heat, Celtics in pursuit of LeBron James
•James expected to leave Lakers before new season
•Philadelphia 76ers also considered a potential destination
•Previous Lakers contract was worth $101 million
•Next deal projected to be smaller than previous contract

Latest Updates

7:22 PMYahoo Sports — Cavaliers, Heat, Celtics reportedly in bidding war for $101M four-time NBA champion, former MVP

What they're saying

"
The Heat, Celtics, and Cavaliers are all in the running for the top free agent on the market. It seems like they are battling several teams to get a top priority.
— Yahoo Sports

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Boston Celtics Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Los Angeles Lakers Miami Heat Basketball