LeBron: No timetable for free agency decision

By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James thinks his present is too good to
spend time worrying about his future.

James said Friday he has no timetable for deciding what he will
do next summer. The NBA’s MVP said it will be his first time
getting to be an unrestricted free agent, so he’s not going to
rush any decision.

Nor will he even consider it for a while. Not with the Cavaliers
on the short list of legitimate contenders to win a title this
season.

“For me, honestly, I think this season is going to be really
good and I feel like our team is set to where we can play really
deep into the playoffs and possibly contend for the NBA
championship,” James said. “So mainly that’s the main thing that
I’m focused on now.”

The Cleveland All-Star can opt for free agency on July 1, but
said before a 100-91 victory over the Knicks he isn’t sure what
he will do in the days that follow.

“I don’t know because it’s the first time I’ll be in this
position, being an unrestricted free agent. I haven’t been there
yet, so I don’t know,” James said. “There’s no timetable. I’m
not going to rush it, I’m definitely going to stay in shape and
stay in the gym next summer like I’ve always done and we’ll see
what happens.”

The Knicks are one of the teams that will have money to offer
James a maximum salary contract. He enjoys playing in New York
and does it well. He and Michael Jordan are the only visiting
players with multiple 50-point games at the present Madison
Square Garden, and James raised his career scoring average at
the building to 30.4 points after scoring 33 Friday.

He made it clear after the game that he’s not coming to New York
- or anywhere else – just for the money.

“I think at the end of the day, a max deal or anything like that
doesn’t really matter to me,” James said. "It’s all about
winning for me, so I’m going to put myself in a position when
that day comes next summer.

“I want to win, and if I feel like the team is capable of
winning, then I make my decision like that.”

Friday’s game was the only one this season in New York for the
Cavs, and James won’t say which uniform he’ll be wearing next
time he comes back.

“I don’t know who made the schedule for the Cleveland Cavaliers
to only be here once, I’m kind of disappointed in that,” said
James, a Yankees fan who slept through the World Series
championship parade Friday morning after the Cavs played in
Cleveland on Thursday night.