The most closely guarded secret in the NBA may no longer be as closely guarded.
On Tuesday, while the rest of the NBA-watching world sat in anxious anticipation of where LeBron James will play his next, and perhaps final, season, the Miami Heat posted a link to LeBron James’ introductory press conference.
The only problem with this? James has not yet said where he will play next year. The title of the link read, “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference | July 27, 2026.”
Internet users frantically clicked on the link only to be brought to an offline live stream, which contained a thumbnail image for Dwyane Wade’s statue unveiling ceremony.
According to the Miami Herald, the Heat claim the link does not signify James’ impending return to the team where he won his first two NBA championships. ESPN’s Shams Charania buttressed that report, saying the social media team was only “preparing for the possibility of James’ signing and mistakenly posted the link.”
That’s a plausible theory, though it seems odd that the “practice/hypothetical” link would contain an exact date for the ceremony.
James walked away from the Lakers on June 30, shortly after Los Angeles was eliminated in the second round of the NBA Playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The teams most frequently mentioned as potential landing spots for the 41-year-old include the Heat, Sixers, Cavaliers, and Golden State Warriors.
Whoever James plays for, he will be taking the floor for the 24th consecutive season, extending his already record-breaking longevity.