Every NBA trade or signing that's just waiting on LeBron to decide

LeBron James has us all right where he wants us -- waiting on him to tell us where the next place he his taking his talents will be. He has the entire media world in a choke hold. Everyday, we are stuck analyzing what the latest little tidbit we extracted might mean.

However, we aren't the folks that are waiting on James to make up his mind. A handful of veterans probably won't be able to sign their next deal until James does, as they are probably a lot of team's backup option (all things considered, not a bad person to be a backup option to).

Anyway, here are some of those players.

DeMar DeRozan

After unsuccessfully trying to work out a trade, the Sacramento Kings ended up waiving DeMar DeRozan with one year left on his contract (which was only partially guaranteed). Now, DeRozan is a free agent looking for his next team.

DeRozan's overall impact has always been a hot button topic, but there is no question that the six-time All-Star can still get a bucket. Last season, at the age of 36, DeRozan was in the 85th percentile in scoring volume and the 67th percentile in scoring efficiency.

The problem is that DeRozan is basically a lite version of James. So, teams probably won't go all-out to get DeRozan until they know forsure that James is off the board.

Jonathan Kuminga

Of all these guys, Jonathan Kuminga is the youngest and least proven. However, he is also the one with the most untapped potential. Unfortunately for Kuminga, he's likely in for another long summer of waiting, as one of the teams in the heart of the James sweepstakes won't pursue him until they know forsure that The King is not coming to their castle.

If you couldn't guess who we are talking about, that team is the Cleveland Cavaliers. They have been connected to James all summer, but recently, they have been losing some steam, which has led to speculation that they could go after Kuminga if things don't end up panning out with the greatest player in franchise history.

Kevin Love

Is it just me or has Kevin Love felt like he's been really old for a really long time? No? Just me? Anyway, this situation is a little different than the other ones in the sense that Love isn't waiting for James to make a decision so he can clean up his leftovers. Rather, Love, who won an NBA title with James in 2016, could be waiting on James so he can follow in his footsteps for one last team-up.

Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal only played six games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season before sustaining a season-ending hip injury. Beal had a player option to return in 2026-27, but he opted to decline it in order to hit free agency, which makes me think he wants to join a more apparent contending team. Again, all the contenders who need a playmaker/scorer are waiting on James, so Beal is probably not going to sign anywhere until James does.

Of all these guys, Beal is the one I am most intrigued by. While grossly overpaid, Beal was still pretty effective as an offensive player in his last season with the Phoenix Suns. In 2024-25, he was in the 80th percentile in scoring volume and the 69th percentile in scoring efficiency. If he can put up that kind of per possession efficiency next season, Beal will be well worth the veteran's minimum to whoever signs him.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is a free agent, and it looks like there won't be a sequel with him and the Sacramento Kings. So, if Westbrook wants to keep playing, he'll need to find a new employer.

One team that could be on the market for Westbrook's services are the Miami Heat, who took a major hit at the guard position after trading away Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakučionis, and losing Norman Powell to the Chicago Bulls in free agency. However, it seems like the Heat will only pursue Westbrook if they don't get James. So, looks like the former MVP is stuck waiting like the rest of these gentlemen.

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