LeBron James and Nikola Jokic’s agent sent NBA Twitter into a frenzy after linking up on Saturday in Europe. Jokic’s agent, Miško Ražnatović, posted a picture of himself, James, and his business associate, Maverick Carter, on a boat in Saint-Tropez, France.
He announced their meet-up just a couple of hours before a massive report from insider Marc Stein claimed that the Lakers “prefer” James leaving the team in 2026. With the four-time MVP’s future unclear, any links between him and rival teams will be under a microscope.
The message on Ražnatović’s Instagram, coupled with the report about James’ 2026 destiny, sparked a wildfire among NBA fans online. Many speculated that James is going to Denver in 2026. Here are some reactions:
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Meanwhile, others thought James was recruiting Jokic to the Lakers. One fan wrote:
The potential reason behind LeBron James linking up with Nikola Jokic's agent
LeBron James and Nikola Jokic's agent, Miško Ražnatović, linking up may have very little to do with the player's free agency a year from now. One of the more likely reasons behind their public meet up would be Mavericks Carter's reported plan to form an international league.
According to a Jan. 17 report from insider Shams Charania, Carter had been raising up to $5 billion to pursue this plan.
"Maverick Carter, LeBron James' business manager, has been enlisted as an adviser by a group of investors seeking to raise $5 billion to form an international basketball league that would serve as a rival to the NBA, sources told ESPN, confirming a story first reported Thursday by Bloomberg," Charania wrote.
He added:
"The group -- which includes multiple private equity funds -- is looking to form a league consisting of six men's teams and six women's teams, playing games around the world, sources told ESPN."
According to SiriusXM NBA Radio host Rob Pereze, Ražnatović, the founder of BeoBasket agency, is an agent for almost half the EuroLeague.
His connections might be critical for James and his business associate Carter, to ramp up their process of starting the international league that will require significant support from Europe.
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