The NBA free agency cycle has begun to slow down, but there are still some questions that remain unanswered as the season is just a little over three months away. From the recent LeBron James trade rumors to the future of Damian Lillard, here are the latest news and rumors across the league.
LeBron's trade silence
Ever since LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, mentioned that the goal is for James to be in the best position to compete and win a championship, many believe that his time with the Los Angeles Lakers may be coming to a close, as he is set to enter his 23rd season in the NBA.
Recent trade rumors suggest that four teams are interested in acquiring LeBron; however, those four teams have not been identified, according to a report from ESPN's David McMenamin on Saturday.
LeBron has not requested a trade from the Lakers, and despite the recent rumors, it is expected that James will be playing his eighth season with Los Angeles, either by opting into the final year of his current deal or opting out and re-signing.
LeBron was recently asked about the trade rumors while he was in attendance to watch his son Bronny play for the Lakers in the Summer League. James declined to talk about his current situation with the Lakers, saying, "I ain't got nothing to talk about."
Lillard-Celtics buzz
It's been about two weeks since the Milwaukee Bucks announced their intentions to waive Damian Lillard. Since his departure from Milwaukee, many teams from across the association have expressed their interest in signing the nine-time All-Star.
Lillard is expected to miss the 2025-26 NBA season after he suffered an Achilles injury in the 2025 NBA first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. Despite his injury, Lillard will have a significant impact on whatever team decides to sign him.
One team that has expressed its interest in signing Lillard is the Boston Celtics. According to NBA sources, Jayson Tatum has been actively recruiting Lillard to sign with Boston.
Tatum suffered the same fate as Lillard, injuring his Achilles in the NBA playoffs. Tatum is also likely out for the majority of next season. If the Celtics were to sign Lillard, they would be entering the 2026-27 NBA season at full strength and could go all in to win an NBA Championship.
Thunder relief
After winning the 2025 NBA Championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder are going all in for the future to keep their big three in hopes of becoming the NBA's next dynasty. This offseason, Oklahoma City has committed $822 million to its big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
The Thunder recently extended Williams to a five-year extension worth $287 million. Oklahoma City also signed Holmgren to a five-year deal worth a potential $250 million, and league MVP Gilgeous-Alexander was extended to a four-year, $285 million contract extension. All three players are locked up through at least the 2030-31 NBA season.
The biggest concern is how Oklahoma City long-term is going to be able to afford three contracts that are worth almost a billion dollars? While the second apron may tear through the Thunder's roster, it might potentially benefit the Thunder more than it hurts them.
With the new NBA rules regarding the repeater tax and the second apron, the Thunder will likely not have to move players around until the 2026-27 season. Given the load of draft picks they have received from the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets in the Paul George and Russell Westbrook trades, the Thunder can use those picks to reload in talent for current players that they can't afford when the second apron kicks in.