LeBron James is taking his time team-hunting, but

Take all the time you need, LeBron. It’s your life.

Yes, it’s annoying to have to hear about it every day, but it’s your choice when to inform us where you’re going to play your twenty fourth season of professional ball.

So, go forward, keep NBA schedule-makers on pins and needles. Savor having employees at my local Trader Joe’s discussing your future on a Monday in the center of July. Enjoy your twilight limelight.

But don’t inform us, on podcasts and in public appearances, that the components you’re prioritizing are A) whether or not a group is constructed to win now; B) the proximity to your home in L.A.; and C) not money, but general happiness — and then signal it may be the Golden State Warriors.

The Cleveland Cavaliers? They test all the packing containers. That’s “home” for real. And the Cavs are prepared to win with a veteran difference-maker such as LeBron. Absolutely, it will be a happily-ever-after conclusion to the LeBron epic.

The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers? Nowhere close to home, but they test a box too: They’re both set up to win — and in the Eastern Conference, where they gained’t have to go through the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder to attain an NBA Finals.

The Warriors, though?

They test no packing containers. Not a one. Not in 2026.

That could be a … selection. But let no one act like this could be LeBron leaving the Lakers for a more aggressive scenario. It wouldn’t be LeBron touchdown in a more fascinating locale.

Line up Cleveland, Philadelphia, Miami and Golden State and it’s like seeing three diamonds and a sq. on “Sesame Street.” A 3-year-old may inform that one of those is not just like the others. But that’s the third-most seemingly vacation spot, as of Tuesday morning, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook.

Sure, once upon a time, a beginning lineup of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis would have crushed virtually anyone. But even those guys — in addition to 30-year-old Porzingis, they’re all in their late-30s or early 40s, with a ton of NBA mileage — aren’t beating Father Time.

Remember when the Lakers put together a roster awash in washed-up stars in 2021, and how disastrous that was? Turns out pairing Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, DeAndre Jordan and, yes, Russell Westbrook was a recipe for a actually terrible 33-win group.

And the Warriors? They couldn’t get out of the play-in match last season, when Curry performed only 43 video games and Butler performed only 38. Also, keep in mind, for the first time in LeBron’s profession, the now 41-year-old wasn’t accessible to start the season. He missed the first 14 video games with sciatica.

Maybe Golden State may conjure up some magic in a playoff sequence — but over an 82-game regular-season marathon? No method, LBJ.

It might be that successful isn’t all the pieces for LeBron. The man’s legacy is locked. He’s gained 4 NBA titles, three Olympic gold medals, 1,229 NBA video games and counting. And he’s successful this summer season’s engagement sport too.

Perhaps it’s come to a level that he just needs to play with his mates, and after incomes $53 million with the Lakers last season, he’s prepared to signal a deal with Golden State for between $3.9 and $6 million — which is what the Warriors may pay him, according to ESPN cap knowledgeable Bobby Marks — to do that.

That’s beautiful, but it doesn’t change the fact that LeBron wouldn’t be blissful shedding.

And shedding when he’s the addition to Steph’s group — and make no mistake, the Warriors are Steph’s group — actually wouldn’t be enjoyable.

The celebrity wars that shall be fought between both gamers’ infamously, uh, passionate fandoms wouldn’t be enjoyable.

The daily drumbeat of criticism from speaking heads who tuned into all of those televised video games — not enjoyable.

But the commute! It’s only 380 miles or so from Brentwood to Chase Center, and that’s a lot nearer than Cleveland or Philly or Miami.

That is smart — if you overlook there are two NBA groups in the very metropolis where LeBron’s household lives. And on paper, they’re both better than the Warriors. And his son performs for one of them!

But one of those groups is the Clippers and the other has moved on from LeBron.

Oh, the irony.

The Lakers, if they weren’t the ex-team, would test all the packing containers. They’re going to be aggressive. They’re a group LeBron loved enjoying with. They are home. And LeBron would test a fairly big box for them too, if money actually isn’t a deciding issue.

But the Lakers have changed LeBron with Walker Kessler, the 24-year-old defensive heart who is the proper complement to Luka Doncic. They’ve put in place the pillars for their future, though they do still occur to have a LeBron-sized gap at ahead that isn’t going to be crammed by LeBron.

And that’s OK. The next chapter will start ultimately, and seemingly it is going to be set in a location where LeBron can compete and have a good time, and that he and his household can really feel good about.

Or in San Francisco.