LeBron James will play a record-breaking 24th NBA season this fall, but he will not be doing so with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to his agent, Rich Paul, who confirmed the decision to ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday.

"LeBron James will return for an unprecedented 24th season in the NBA -- but it won't be with the Los Angeles Lakers. James has informed the Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere," Paul told Charania, according to ESPN. The confirmation ends weeks of speculation over whether James might remain with the franchise he has played for since 2018, while still leaving open the question of exactly which team he will join next.

A monthslong free agency saga

James' free agency has stretched on for nearly a month, with the four-time NBA champion taking his time to weigh what he has described as the right decision for both himself and his family. His deliberate approach has effectively put much of the league's broader free agency market on hold, as teams with cap flexibility earmarked for a potential James signing have waited to see where he ultimately lands before finalizing their own offseason plans.

Charania had previously reported that James had narrowed his list of potential landing spots to a group of finalists, each considered a legitimate championship........

© International Business Times