ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is dropping bombs about LeBron James, saying he thinks the King would rather play his 24th NBA season for literally any other franchise than the Boston Celtics. “I think Boston would rank 30th on his list. I really, honestly do,” Windhorst said on Friday’s Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast. He followed that up with the kicker: “He hates Boston.” This isn’t just some casual dislike; this is serious, and it’s making his upcoming free agency decision wild.
The fact is, we know who’s really in the running for James. ESPN’s Shams Charania previously reported the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers are top contenders to sign him this offseason. But don’t sleep on others: Charania also named the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as teams in the mix for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. What makes the Boston ranking so notable, though, is the contrast. Just the other day, Tyrese Haliburton told reporters that James responded to his pitch to join the Indiana Pacers with two laughing emojis. Two laughing emojis! That’s how LeBron responds to a pitch that isn’t Boston. Tells you everything, doesn’t it?
The Sixers have actually leapfrogged the Warriors as a favorite, and it’s all thanks to them acquiring former Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Brown was the Celtics’ primary offensive star for most of last season while Jayson Tatum was recovering from an Achilles injury. So, while Tatum is now set to lead a Celtics starting lineup that could feature Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, former Sixers star Paul George, and former New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, does any of that actually matter to LeBron? His agent, Rich Paul, even listed Tatum and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens as potential draws for James on a podcast whiteboard earlier this month. But it might all be for nothing. Back in July 2022, James straight up said on The Shop podcast that he hates playing in front of Boston crowds more than any other fanbase in the NBA. That’s a pretty clear signal.
Rich Paul has reportedly been asking team executives to send him voice memos, making their case as to why James should play for them. Good luck to any Celtics executive trying to overcome that deeply rooted, long-standing hatred with a voice memo. It sounds like any pitch from Boston isn’t going to be enough to change James’ mind; his preference to play elsewhere is just too strong.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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