Boston Celtics
“I’m not holding my breath waiting on him to make a decision.”
Paul Pierce Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
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Kevin Garnett says Celtics will regret the Jaylen Brown trade: ‘You don’t break a great thing up’
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Report: LeBron James ‘hates’ Celtics, would rank them last on his list of teams to join
LeBron James is a free-agent for the fourth time in his career and the first time since 2018.
He had a player option with the Lakers for this upcoming season, but chose to decline it and look elsewhere.
James won at least one title with each team he joined during free agency. He won two with the Heat, he won another one when he returned to the Cavaliers, and he won one with the Lakers in 2020.
However, Celtics legend Paul Pierce said he isn’t too concerned about where James chooses to go this time.
“LeBron, he can do whatever he wants at this stage,” Pierce told TMZ. “He’s in his 40’s playing 20-plus years. His decision is his decision. I’m not holding my breath waiting on him to make a decision. Whatever decision he makes is going to be the right one.
ESPN’s Shams Charania said James is focusing on the Miami, Cleveland, and Philadelphia as possible destinations.
The Akron, Ohio native has spent 11 of his 23 NBA seasons with the Cavaliers. Cleveland, which features Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Evan Mobley, is two years removed from being the top seed in the Eastern conference.
Cleveland was the No. 4 seed this year. The Knicks swept the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Pierce is not ruling out the possibility of James returning to the franchise.
“I think his best fit is Cleveland,” Pierce said.
Philadelphia added Jaylen Brown via trade with the Celtics earlier this month. Pairing James with Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecombe would put the 76ers in the conversation as title contenders.
The Heat recently outbid the Celtics to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, and could probably use another star to play alongside the two-time league MVP and Bam Adebayo.
The Celtics are not among James’s top options, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that James “hates” Boston and would likely rank them last among the 30 NBA teams.
Pierce was asked if he thought the Celtics might be a fit for James.
“No, we don’t want him on the Celtics,” Pierce said.
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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