Two Surprising Franchises That Quietly Pursued LeBron James in Free Agency

The LeBron James sweepstakes ended in dramatic fashion this month with the 76ers holding the lucky ticket and winning the former Lakers star’s allegiances for likely the final years of his decorated career.

As with any high-profile free agency move, Philadelphia was far from James’s only suitor. Along with the reported final five that included the Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors and Timberwolves, two surprising NBA franchises also threw their hats in the mix according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

One team was on the East Coast: the Celtics. The other team team was Out West: the Clippers.

Boston reportedly “expressed interest” in James, per McMenamin’s sources, but there aren’t any more intriguing details other than that tidbit. The Clippers, on the other hand, reportedly were in talks with James for a potential one-year contract “north of $20 million” that would allow him to stay at his home in Brentwood, Calif.

James, whose agent Rich Paul reportedly had conversations with as many as 27 franchises during his free agency spell, chose a starkly different path for his fourth NBA team and signed a two-year deal worth $8 million with the 76ers instead. It was a move that was viewed as a “bold choice” by multiple sources within the Sixers and close to James, per McMenamin.

Reports of the Celtics and Clippers’ interest in James come after Paul confirmed that the four-time NBA champ held a secret meeting with Cavaliers’ ownership in Akron, Ohio in early July. ESPN’s Shams Charania was aware of the meeting but chose not to report it due to fact that he received the information off the record.

In early July LeBron James met with the entire Cavaliers ownership and Front Office in Akron

Rich Paul did not realize Shams was aware of the meeting

(h/t @NBA__Courtside) pic.twitter.com/ZxRMEcixi2
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) July 29, 2026

How LeBron James would have fit on the Celtics, Clippers

As James prepares for his 24th NBA season in Philly, where he’ll get to team up with the likes of Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid, it’s an interesting “what if?” thought experiment to imagine how he would have fit on the Celtics or the Clippers.

Boston recently shipped out Brown in a blockbuster trade package that saw them bring in Paul George and a haul of draft picks. The team also added to its depth with additions like Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley, a pair of veteran signings who should provide well-rounded depth to a team that painfully failed to defend its title last postseason. With those offseason moves in mind, James would have formed an instantly iconic superstar duo with Jayson Tatum and probably would have dominated in Boston’s starting lineup by effortlessly filling in the space that Brown left behind.

That being said, did James want to be in Boston? In a 2022 episode of The Shop podcast, James noted he hated playing in Boston the most because their fans were “racist as f---.” Not to mention, James’s potential budding relationship with coach Joe Mazzulla may not have been sustainable as two incredibly intense and strong personalities in the locker room.

As for the Clippers, relocating within Los Angeles would have made for quite the convenient move. James wouldn’t have to pack any boxes and could remain in the city he’s called home for the last near-decade, no helicopters required.

But if it’s a fifth championship James is chasing, the Clippers might’ve been among the worst possible destinations (compared to his other top rumored options) to do that. Kawhi Leonard was just traded to the Raptors in a deal that’s still pending the NBA’s investigation into owner Steve Ballmer and the Clippers for allegedly circumventing the salary cap.

Assuming the trade still goes through, here is the Clippers’ projected starting lineup for 2026:

Darius Garland, PG
Keaton Wagler or Kris Dunn, SG
Brandon Ingram, SF
Rui Hachimura or Derrick Jones Jr., PF
Brook Lopez, C

Reuniting with his former Lakers teammate in Hachimura could’ve been sweet, though James clearly isn’t in the business of reunions after snubbing the Cavs and Heat. There’s no question that the Clippers could use a franchise superstar like James after dealing their last one away. For basketball reasons, however, James heading crosstown to start anew with a beleaguered organization rife with instability and leadership concerns just didn’t make any sense for his career.

More NBA From Sports Illustrated

Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.

Add us as a preferred source on Google