Boston Celtics
James’s highly anticipated free agency decision is looming.
LeBron James seems set to make his free agency decision soon. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics)
LeBron James’s free agency decision is the biggest storyline left in the NBA offseason, and it’s reportedly even forcing the NBA to hold off on releasing its 2026-27 schedule.
James is entering his 24th season, and this will be the fourth major free agency move of his career. His famous move to Miami, dubbed “The Decision” in 2010 was his most notable offseason, but his return to Cleveland and move to the Lakers were both monumental as well.
All signs point to this being the final time James swaps teams, and he seems to have two or three destinations he’s mulling over. The Celtics, though, are not one of them.
In fact, if ESPN’s Brian Windhorst’s latest report is any indication, Boston appears to be the last place James would want to end his NBA career. Windhorst bluntly stated that to be the case.
“I should find out if Boston did [reach out to LeBron],” Windhorst said on his podcast. “I think Boston would rank 30th on his list. I really, honestly do.
“He hates Boston.”
That sentiment certainly adds up, given James has been ridiculed by the Boston faithful for over two decades. James always seems to find himself as one of the Celtics’ biggest rivals; as the leader of the Cavaliers and Heat, where he competed against Boston at the top of the Eastern Conference, and then again as a Laker in the biggest rivalry in the history of the NBA.
LeBron James says he hates the Boston Celtics because they are racist:
“I mean, Boston. Cause they racist as f*ck! That’s why! They will say anything…. I got a beer thrown on me leaving the game. It was like a f*ck LBJ t-shirt and I believe they probably sold it at the f*cking… https://t.co/qTapPGKckT pic.twitter.com/Fvcs0xKZaF
— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) July 18, 2026
So, it adds up that James isn’t jumping at the chance to play in Boston, even if the prospect of teaming up with Jayson Tatum had a level of intrigue for him.
The question still remains: Who will LeBron play for next season? Three favorites seem to have emerged. The Heat (again), the Cavs (again), and the Warriors, where he could have one final run alongside Stephen Curry after their storied Finals matchups of the 2010s.
If those are the finalists, James might be prioritizing tying up his loose ends as much as competing for one final NBA championship ring. And while James didn’t indicate who his next team will be, he did say at Fanatics Fest this weekend that he “won’t make you guys wait too much longer,” hinting that his decision will be announced soon.
And while the Celtics are almost certainly out on James, the city of Boston will surely give him an extra warm welcome next time he’s in town, following Windhorst’s report.
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