{"id":2050027,"date":"2026-07-18T13:42:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T10:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2050027"},"modified":"2026-07-18T13:42:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T10:42:39","slug":"shaq-knows-it-all-the-former-nba-star-reveals-lebron-james-master-plan-for-choosing-his-final-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2050027","title":{"rendered":"\u201cShaq knows it all!\u201d: The former NBA star reveals LeBron James&#8217; master plan for choosing his final team"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/e00-xlk-ue-marca-en.uecdn.es\/files\/article_main_microformat\/uploads\/2026\/07\/18\/6a5ab038ba295.png&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"ue-c-article\">\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__header\">\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__main-column\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__header \">\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__header-content ue-l-article--expand-right-full-from-tablet ue-l-article--expand-right-half-from-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__kicker-group\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__kicker-container\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__kicker\">NBA<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"ue-c-article__headline js-headline js-headlineb \">\u201cShaq knows it all!\u201d: The former NBA star reveals LeBron James&#8217; master plan for choosing his final team<\/h1>\n<p class=\"ue-c-article__standfirst\">Shaquille O&#8217;Neal believes LeBron James&#8217; next decision will be driven by one priority as the NBA superstar prepares for the final chapter of his career<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__body\" data-section=\"articleBody\">\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__main-column ue-l-article--minimum-content-from-tablet\">\n<figure class=\"ue-c-article__media ue-c-article__media--image ue-c-article--media-icon-m-from-phablet ue-l-article--expand-left-full-from-tablet ue-c-article__media--main-media\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__media-img-container ue-l-article--expand-edge-right-until-tablet ue-l-article--expand-edge-left-until-tablet\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" class=\"ue-c-article__image\" alt=\"LeBron James&amp;nbsp;\" src=\"https:\/\/e00-xlk-ue-marca-en.uecdn.es\/uploads\/2026\/07\/18\/6a5ab038ba295.png\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"ue-c-article__media-caption\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__media-caption-inner\"><span class=\"ue-c-article__media-description\">LeBron James\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ue-c-article__media-source\"><span class=\"ue-c-article__media-author\">LAPRESSE<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__bar has-avatar ue-c-article__bar--horizontal-from-tablet\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__bar-body\">\n<ul class=\"ue-c-article__byline ue-l-article--grow-from-desktop\" aria-label=\"Redacci\u00f3n:\">\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__byline-item\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__byline-name\">\n                                SAM\n                    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__publishdate\" aria-label=\"Fecha de publicaci\u00f3n\"><span>Updated <\/span><time datetime=\"2026-07-18T13:42:39Z\">                            18\/07\/2026<br \/>\n        &#8211;<br \/>\n        <span>08:42<abbr title=\"Central Daylight Time\">CDT<\/abbr><\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__bar-secondary ue-u-hide-until-tablet ue-l-article--leftcol-width-from-tablet ue-l-article--float-left-from-tablet-no-margin ue-l-article--move-to-leftcol-from-tablet ue-u-sticky-top-80\">\n<ul class=\"ue-c-article__share-tools  ue-c-article__share-tools--direction-column js_socialMedia\" aria-label=\"Compartir art\u00edculo en Redes Sociales\">\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__share-tools-item ue-c-article__share-tools-item--facebook\"><span class=\"hidden-content\">Compartir en Facebook<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__share-tools-item ue-c-article__share-tools-item--twitter\"><span class=\"hidden-content\">Compartir en Twitter<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__share-tools-item ue-c-article__share-tools-item--telegram\"><span class=\"hidden-content\">Compartir en Telegram<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__share-tools-item ue-c-article__share-tools-item--whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden-content\">Compartir en Whatsapp<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__share-tools-item ue-c-article__share-tools-item--email\"><span class=\"hidden-content\">Compartir por Mail<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"ue-c-article__subtitles ue-l-article--width-1of2-from-mobile ue-l-article--width-1of3-from-desktop ue-l-article--float-right-from-mobile ue-c-article__subtitles--boxed\" aria-label=\"Contenido relacionado\">\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__subtitles-item  \"><span class=\"ue-c-article__subtitles-kicker\">World Cup.\u00a0 <\/span>Stephen Curry makes his prediction for the World Cup final and explains the reasoning behind it<\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__subtitles-item  \"><span class=\"ue-c-article__subtitles-kicker\">Chicago Sky.\u00a0 <\/span>Natasha Cloud denounces the harassment suffered by WNBA players: &#8220;They call me a bitch, a black, and hope the team&#8217;s plane crashes&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__body\">\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph ue-c-article--first-letter-highlighted\"><strong>LeBron James<\/strong> remains the biggest name on the NBA free-agent market, and every passing day brings fresh speculation about where the four-time champion will spend what is expected to be the final stretch of his legendary career.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">The list of rumored destinations continues to grow, with the <strong>Cleveland Cavaliers<\/strong>, <strong>Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat<\/strong> among the franchises linked to the 41-year-old.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"ue-c-article__media ue-c-article__media--video  video-player\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__media-img-container ue-l-article--expand-edge-right-until-tablet ue-l-article--expand-edge-left-until-tablet\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__media-video-responsive ue-c-article__media-video-responsive--16-9\">\n<div id=\"player_6db66eae8a05ac308b17f5d4_xapin8u\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ue-c-article__media-caption\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__media-caption-inner\"><span class=\"ue-c-article__media-description\">LeBron James got roasted by Kevin Hart over 3-1 comeback<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">While analysts continue to debate the best basketball fit, <strong>Shaquille O&#8217;Neal<\/strong> believes <strong>James<\/strong>&#8216; thought process is actually quite straightforward.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Speaking to PEOPLE during Fanatics Fest while promoting his new professional dunk competition, DUNKMAN, <strong>O&#8217;Neal <\/strong>explained that <strong>James <\/strong>has already earned the right to trust his own instincts.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">\u201cLeBron\u2019s in the room,\u201d <strong>O\u2019Neal <\/strong>said.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">He later clarified exactly what he meant: \u201cPeople that have multiple rings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Having won four NBA championships across stops with the<strong> Miami Heat<\/strong>, <strong>Cleveland Cavaliers <\/strong>and <strong>Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong>, <strong>James <\/strong>belongs to an exclusive group of players whose accomplishments allow them to dictate their own future.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Because of that r\u00e9sum\u00e9, <strong>O&#8217;Neal <\/strong>said he has no interest in offering advice.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Instead, he believes <strong>James <\/strong>already understands exactly what matters most at this stage of his career.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">\u201cSo he\u2019s in the room, he\u2019s able to make his own decisions, but I\u2019m sure he\u2019s going to go with a team where he has a great chance of winning because he realizes that he\u2019s near the end. One, two, maybe three more years, so, he\u2019s probably going to want to play for a contender,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Those comments echo what many league insiders have suggested throughout the offseason.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Although financial considerations and roster construction always play a role in free agency, <strong>James <\/strong>has repeatedly emphasized that his family, personal happiness and opportunity to compete for championships will all factor into his decision.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Following his departure from the Lakers after eight seasons, the veteran forward has remained tight-lipped about his plans despite appearing at multiple public events during Fanatics Fest.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">That silence has only intensified speculation surrounding his eventual destination.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ue-c-article__subheadline\">Shaq also praised James&#8217; remarkable longevity<\/h2>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Beyond discussing free agency, <strong>O&#8217;Neal <\/strong>also expressed admiration for <strong>James<\/strong>&#8216; ability to continue performing at an elite level well into his 40s.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__embedded\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet-lazy\" data-lang=\"es\"><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">The Hall of Fame center admitted that extending his own career to that age would have been extremely difficult.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">\u201cYou know, he\u2019s done a great job of taking care of his body. Could I have played the 41? Probably not,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\"><strong>James <\/strong>has become renowned for the time and resources he dedicates to recovery, nutrition and conditioning.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Reports over the years have suggested he invests heavily each year in maintaining his physical health, allowing him to remain one of the NBA&#8217;s most productive players despite entering his 24th season.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Last season, he once again demonstrated that age has done little to diminish his impact, averaging strong numbers while helping the Lakers remain competitive before ultimately deciding to continue his career elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Where that journey leads remains one of basketball&#8217;s biggest unanswered questions.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">The <strong>Cavaliers <\/strong>continue to be viewed as sentimental favorites, offering <strong>James <\/strong>the opportunity to finish where his NBA story began.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Meanwhile, the <strong>Warriors <\/strong>have generated persistent speculation thanks to James&#8217; close relationships with <strong>Stephen Curry<\/strong> and <strong>Draymond Green<\/strong>, while Philadelphia has emerged as another possible contender because of its established core.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Other franchises have also been mentioned by league insiders, although James himself has revealed very little publicly.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">His only consistent message has been that basketball alone will not determine his choice.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">During Fanatics Fest, <strong>James <\/strong>acknowledged that his family will play a significant role in the decision-making process, reinforcing the idea that the next move will involve far more than simply joining the team with the best championship odds.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\"><strong>O&#8217;Neal<\/strong>, however, believes those factors ultimately point in the same direction.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">With what he expects to be &#8220;One, two, maybe three more years&#8221; remaining, <strong>Shaq <\/strong>sees <strong>James <\/strong>prioritizing the opportunity to compete for another title before bringing one of the greatest careers in NBA history to a close.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Links P\u00e1rrafos\" class=\"ue-c-article__paragraph paragraph\">Until an announcement arrives, the speculation will continue. But if O&#8217;Neal&#8217;s assessment proves accurate, <strong>LeBron&#8217;s <\/strong>final destination will be determined by one simple objective: giving himself the strongest possible chance to add one more championship to an already extraordinary legacy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"taboola-art-mid-script\" data-ue-is-premium=\"false\" data-ue-is-basic=\"true\" data-ue-is-mobile=\"false\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__tags-container\">\n<ul class=\"ue-c-article__tags\" aria-label=\"Etiquetado como:\">\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__tags-item\">Lebron James<\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__tags-item\">Shaquille O&#8217;Neal<\/li>\n<li class=\"ue-c-article__tags-item\">NBA Trades<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__related-news \" aria-label=\"Art\u00edculos relacionados\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__related-news-item\"><span class=\"ue-c-article__related-news-kicker\">NBA <\/span>LeBron James sparks 76ers speculation after a strong statement during free agency discussion<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__related-news-item\"><span class=\"ue-c-article__related-news-kicker\">NBA <\/span>LeBron James unveils dramatic bald look at TIME100 Sports Gala as NBA world awaits free agency decision<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-c-article__related-news-item\"><span class=\"ue-c-article__related-news-kicker\">NBA <\/span>LeBron James&#8217; decision timeline moves up: The King doesn&#8217;t want to wait any longer and sets a deadline<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-c-popular-links js-featured-links ue-c-popular-links--closed\">\n<ul class=\"list ue-c-popular-links__list hidden-content\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<li class=\"ue-c-popular-links__list-item \">NBA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__secondary-column\">\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__secondary-column-item\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-ad ue-c-ad--label\" role=\"region\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-ad__inner\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-basketball_nba_n_b300x100_6db66eae8a05ac308b17f5d4\" class=\"publicidad ue-autorefresh-bind\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__secondary-column-item ue-l-article--grow\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-ad ue-c-ad--label ue-c-ad--sticky\" role=\"region\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-ad__inner\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-basketball_nba_n_r_6db66eae8a05ac308b17f5d4\" class=\"publicidad ue-autorefresh-bind\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-l-article__secondary-column-item ue-l-article--no-grow js-notice-sticky\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-ad ue-c-ad--label ue-c-ad--sticky\" role=\"region\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"ue-c-ad__inner\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-basketball_nba_n_rb_6db66eae8a05ac308b17f5d4\" class=\"publicidad ue-autorefresh-bind\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.marca.com\/en\/basketball\/nba\/2026\/07\/18\/shaq-knows-it-all-the-former-nba-star-reveals-lebron-james-master-plan-for-choosing-his-final-team.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/e00-xlk-ue-marca-en.uecdn.es\/files\/article_main_microformat\/uploads\/2026\/07\/18\/6a5ab038ba295.png&#8221;] NBA \u201cShaq knows it all!\u201d: The former NBA star reveals LeBron James&#8217; master plan for choosing his final team Shaquille O&#8217;Neal believes LeBron James&#8217; next decision will be driven by one priority as the NBA superstar prepares for the final chapter of his career LeBron James\u00a0LAPRESSE SAM Updated 18\/07\/2026 &#8211; 08:42CDT Compartir [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,45],"class_list":["post-2050027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-marca-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2050027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2050027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2050027\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2050027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2050027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2050027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}