ESPN: Not 'Impossible' LeBron James Goes to Olympics Before NBA Contract Decision

LeBron James could make the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the NBA world wait to decide on his future.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said it's possible James will wait until after the Olympics to sign his next contract.

"I'm not saying he's going to do this, but I don't think it's impossible that LeBron would go to Team USA and not have a contract. [But] I don't think that's the plan. I don't think that's the preference," Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective (1:06:45 mark).

James is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract and refused to commit to remaining with the Lakers after they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets.

Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported the Lakers are planning to do everything in their power to keep James, including offering him a three-year, $164 million contract and even potentially drafting his son, Bronny.

LeBron has long said he'd like to finish out his career playing alongside Bronny, who declared for the 2024 NBA draft after one season at USC. Bronny James was highly touted coming out of high school but is now considered a fringe prospect after struggling in his first season at the college level.

While it's unlikely James makes the NBA world wait into August before making his decision on where to play next season, timing does make it at least possible. Windhorst noted James is set to report for Team USA activities on July 6, which is earlier than a typical Olympic cycle.

The vast majority of NBA signings happen in the first 72 hours of free agency, so James has plenty of time—particularly since he holds all the cards. That said, if James does want to orchestrate an exit from Los Angeles to a particular destination, those negotiations might take longer.