LeBron James' Business Partner Maverick Carter Talks 2018 Free-Agency Decision

What matters most to LeBron James when it comes to his NBA future? Being in New York? Nope. Los Angeles? Nope. Yet again, someone close to James has confirmed what matters to him most is one thing: winning.

James' friend and business associate Maverick Carter appeared on the Rich Eisen Show Thursday and said playing in a major market will not be a factor in his decision this summer. 

“These days, it doesn’t matter anymore. The Lakers and the Knicks have been bad—the Knicks for a very long time, the Lakers since Kobe aged out of being one of the best players in the league,” Carter said (h/t Michael D. Sykes, II of SB Nation). “You can be known or be a star from anywhere—anywhere in the world. ... When you win as an athlete, that matters the m

James, 32, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. James' free-agency decision-making seems to make headlines every year but is especially noteworthy now given the Cavaliers' 3-5 start to the regular season. Cleveland has dropped four straight games, none against elite teams, and have struggled to acclimate new additions on both ends of the floor.

Carter reiterated James' longrunning stance that he does not consider free-agency options until after the season.

"He never starts thinking about it before the end of the season," Carter said (h/t Jack Maloney of CBS Sports). "Whenever their season ends and hopefully it's in June for his sake and the sake of his family because he goes crazy at home, usually a week after. Decompresses, lets it all calm down and then a week after. Sometimes he can take a little longer but at least a week after." 

He also made it clear that James' growing media endeavors—the pair are partners in SpringHill Entertainment—are irrelevant to where he plays basketball.

"I understand people keep saying that and thinking that," Carter said of a move to Los Angeles. "But the reason it doesn't make sense is because if he does play in L.A. or he plays on the moon he can only shoot movies for three months. It doesn't matter. Even if he played in L.A. and wanted to be in a movie, he can't shoot from basically September to June."

The Lakers are, once again, expected to make a run at James in free agency. While Lakers fans have long expected this pairing to happen, James has never given the team serious consideration in either his 2010 or 2014 decisions.