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\n\t\t\tAll the suitors who believe they have a realistic chance at landing LeBron James in free agency are \u201cprepared to wait as long as it takes\u201d to see where he\u2019ll go, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required). That means delaying other moves, possibly for weeks, as James\u2019 agent, Klutch Sports CEO\u00a0Rich Paul, said he doesn\u2019t expect a quick decision.
\nThe race remains fluid, but Stein and Fischer cite \u201ca growing belief\u201d among the teams pursuing James that the idea of finishing his career with the Cavaliers appears to be \u201cthe scenario to beat.\u201d The sentiment involved with returning to the Northeast Ohio area where he grew up could create a satisfying conclusion to James\u2019 career, which began when Cleveland drafted him in 2003.
\nIt could be telling that the Cavaliers have been so quiet since free agency began Tuesday evening. Stein and Fischer say the expectations were that James Harden would have a new contract in place by now and that Cleveland would be aggressively involved in the chase for Atlanta forward Jonathan Kuminga. They note that the Cavs\u2019 only move so far is a new veteran\u2019s minimum contract for Thomas Bryant, while Dean Wade has agreed to terms with Philadelphia and Keon Ellis has reached an agreement with Brooklyn.
\nAn emerging conspiracy theory, according to Stein and Fischer, is that Cleveland wants to make sure it has enough roster flexibility to work out a trade with the Lakers so that Bronny James can join his father if the team\u2019s pursuit of LeBron is successful.
\nThe Sixers, Nuggets and Timberwolves all believe they\u2019re still in the race for James and that they\u2019re getting \u201clegitimate consideration\u201d alongside the Cavaliers, Warriors and Heat, add Stein and Fischer, who speculate that Golden State, Minnesota and possibly Miami have a combination of players and coaches that James might find appealing.
\nThe Spurs still aren\u2019t expected to get involved in the pursuit of James, sources tell Stein and Fischer, even though Paul mentioned them in a white-board presentation during his latest podcast. However, the authors caution that things could change as James considers his options.<\/p>\n