May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a foul in game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a foul in game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now that LeBron James has chosen his destination, it's fallout season. "Where could he have gone, and why didn't he choose this place?" have been large topics of conversation. On Max Kellerman and Rich Paul's Game Theory podcast, the Spurs were brought into that discussion, and James' longtime friend and agent had an interesting answer.
Rich Paul on why LeBron didn’t choose the Spurs:
“It’s similar to the Knicks these are two teams that finished last two teams in the season. Spurs were the runner up. And when you have a guy like Wemby you have to respect his growth, his position on the Spurs. It’s not easy… https://t.co/zYoNT3K9eG pic.twitter.com/w9orXQzC03
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) July 31, 2026
The Spurs never appeared interested in LeBron James
This is framed as if Bron decided against going to San Antonio, when in actuality, an offer was never made, according to several reports. The sides spoke, sure, but nothing came of it.
King James is one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, so if his representatives reach out, of course, you'd take the call. That doesn't mean The Silver and Black were ever actually interested in the partnership.
I think a more honest answer to why not the Spurs is that San Antonio just didn't want Bron, and they were right to take that stance.
This is the same organization that just dismissed a beloved announcer over reportedly immoral behavior that some would argue was more of a personal matter.
Regardless, when you represent this team, there's a strong standard to live by: excellence, setting the right example, and avoiding distractions—either becoming one or getting caught up in them. It's nonnegotiable.
The Spurs stuck to their identity
While LeBron's brand aligns perfectly with the first two, he fails the third requirement badly. He's a walking distraction and a bit of a diva. Look no further than how long he was dragging out his free agent announcement.
There was even a report that he slow-rolled announcing his decision because he was irritated by the pressure he was supposedly getting from Adam Silver. Whether that's true or not, it's incredibly believable based on who James has been his entire career.
I went back and forth on whether I wanted to see the now-journeyman superstar wearing silver and black. There were solid basketball reasons for wanting him on this roster, and when you see the cheap contract he accepted from Philadelphia, it was easy to rationalize.
However, when you factor in the added, unnecessary attention and prima donna behavior, it's a hard no. The Spurs had the foresight on this from the beginning. They were uninterested from the beginning of free agency. If they had been, they wouldn't have signed Tobias Harris as quickly as they did.
Rich Paul can spin the reason LeBron James didn't land in South Texas as some sort of favor or respect to what the Spurs are building all he wants. Based on what we know already, that's not the case, though. I think it's more likely that Brian Wright straight-up told them, "No, thank you. San Antonio already has its king."
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