LeBron James will become an unrestricted free agent, choosing not to exercise a $21.6 million option on his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for next season, multiple news outlets reported Sunday.
The outlets cited anonymous sources because neither the team nor James was publicly discussing the process.
The reports said James had no plans to switch teams. The decision, which had been widely expected for months, would allow him to sign a new maximum contract — most likely another two-year deal with a player option for 2017-18 — that would pay him more than he would have made under his previous contract.