Where Shaq Believes LeBron James Should Sign Next, 22 Years After His Own Lakers Departure - Sports Illustrated

What the report says

Sports Illustrated reported that Shaquille O’Neal has offered his view on LeBron James’s next move after James’s reported exit from the Los Angeles Lakers. In an interview with Extra cited by SI, O’Neal said he expects James to choose a team with a realistic chance to win another NBA championship, naming Miami, Golden State and Philadelphia as possible destinations.

O’Neal also said he would be open to seeing James return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, framing it as a fitting full-circle finish for a career that began there. SI noted that James, entering what would be his 24th NBA season and age-42 campaign, has not yet decided where he will play next. The article said his next team may be the one with which he ends his career.

The comments matter because James’s free agency is one of the NBA offseason’s central storylines, with major competitive implications for any team that signs him. SI also reported that O’Neal pushed back on criticism of late-career stars seeking favorable title situations, saying championship pursuit is part of how greatness is judged.

SI placed O’Neal’s remarks in the context of his own Lakers departure 22 years earlier. After winning three titles in Los Angeles, O’Neal was traded to Miami and later won another championship with the Heat. The article drew a parallel between the Lakers moving on from O’Neal in the past and their reported shift away from James as the franchise looks younger.