LeBron James apparently had a few interesting suitors in free agency before narrowing down his list to the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Los Angeles Clippers discussed a one-year contract worth more than $20 million that would've allowed James to stay in California, sources told ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Clippers lead man Tyronn Lue coached James for parts of three seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, including the franchise's lone championship run in 2016.
The Boston Celtics also expressed interest in signing the NBA's all-time leading scorer, McMenamin reports.
James has faced off against the Celtics in the playoffs multiple times in his career. It's unclear if his history with Boston was a factor in his decision to sign elsewhere, but his agent, Rich Paul, said the 76ers' acquisition of Jaylen Brown factored into his client's choice.
James eventually agreed to a two-year, $8-million deal with Philadelphia that includes a player option for the second season.
But Paul teased the possibility of James playing beyond his latest contract.
"I think Philadelphia's going to energize him," Paul told McMenamin. "Maybe we get two (seasons). Maybe we get four."
