Darron Cummings/AP
- LeBron James called a report that he would consider meeting with the Golden State Warriors in free agency “nonsense” and a “non-story.”
- James said his only focus is on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- James said he won’t think about or discuss his impending free agency until the “appropriate time,” at the end of the season.
LeBron James on Friday shot down an ESPN report that said he’d consider meeting with the Golden State Warriors in free agency as “nonsense.”
“It’s nonsense, and it’s a non-story,” James told reporters.
The report said James, appreciative of the Warriors’ winning and stable culture, would consider meeting with the team when he becomes a free agent this summer. The report came with a caveat, however, saying the Warriors would have to open max cap space, which would mean breaking up their core. The Warriors are not currently considering pursuing James, the report said.
James said he first laughed when he saw the report, but then grew angry, believing it’s a “discredit” to his coaches and teammates.
“My only focus right now is figuring out how to become a championship-caliber team in these next few months,” James said.
“If you don’t hear something coming from my voice, then it’s not true,” he said. “I don’t give a damn how close they are, if it’s my kids, my wife or whatever — if it’s not from me, it’s not true.”
James said he apologized to his teammates for the distraction.
“The story needs to be: LeBron is focused on getting his team back to the Finals,” he continued. “That’s what the story should be. Because I’m telling you guys right now. Not that, I’m angry at the Golden State story or I’m angry about what the Lakers and Philly and Houston and San Antonio and Sacramento and Orlando and Miami and Toronto — I could name all 30 teams. That’s not the story.”
James also said he would handle his free agency in the offseason which he said is always how he has done it.
“I will handle my summer situation when my summer gets here,” he said. “And I will not handle it right now. You guys know in my 15-year career I’ve been a free agent twice so far, or three times, and I’ve always handled it at the right, appropriate time, and that’s at the end of the season, when it’s time-appropriate … if you wanna ask me about this team, I’ll answer it, good, bad, or ugly.”
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