LeBron James praises Lakers, declines to reveal next team at public appearance

LeBron James did a live taping of his podcast on Thursday in New York, but he made it clear from the jump that he wasn't there to break news.

James and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton took the stage at Fanatics Fest to record an episode of James' "Mind the Game" podcast, and with an estimated crowd of 5,000 on hand, Haliburton asked James for an update with a particular word choice that stood out.

"Is there a decision that still has to be made?" Haliburton asked James just minutes into the recording, a likely reference to James' 2010 "Decision" to join the Miami Heat that was accompanied by a live program on ESPN.

"We literally talked about this in the back," James replied, and Haliburton was quick with a smiling apology.

"My fault, my fault. I didn't know if you wanted -- OK, OK, I'll leave it alone," Haliburton said.

Haliburton later revealed to the crowd that he texted James last month about the idea of the four-time champion and future Hall of Famer coming to Indianapolis to team up.

"And he texted me back two laughing, crying faces and that's all I got," Haliburton said.

James let his contract with the Lakers expire and told Los Angeles he would look to play elsewhere in 2026-27, which would be his record 24th NBA season and potentially his fourth franchise.

Or, James could reunite with the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third stint or the Heat for a second. He confirmed that they were two of the teams in the mix without giving much else away.

As he let audience members call out where they wanted him to sign, James said, "I heard Philly (the 76ers), Miami ... This guy just told me to come to the Yankees! We'll see what happens."

With his former Los Angeles Lakers head coach and former podcast co-host JJ Redick in the crowd, James heaped praise on the Lakers, as he did immediately after his decision not to re-sign there.

"Shoutout my former team. I spent eight great years with the Los Angeles Lakers," James said. "One of the most historical franchises in the world. Shout out Jeanie Buss, the whole Buss family. Rob Pelinka. Everybody. All the coaches that I played for there. All my teammates. S--, I am going to miss them all, obviously. So, that was an unbelievable ride and I'm just looking forward to what holds next as I wind down the final stages of my journey."

--Field Level Media