What happened: Shams Charania, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, said some teams involved in LeBron James' free agency can only offer him a veteran minimum or exception-level deal. Charania put the veteran minimum figure at $4 million.
Why it matters: The contract math helps explain why James' free agency has stretched into late July: Rich Paul has asked for patience on a decision while James monitors the trade market rather than money. A $4 million offer for a former MVP shows how far his market has shifted from max-salary terms toward minimum and exception deals.
By the numbers: $4 million: reported veteran minimum figure cited by Shams Charania for James.
What to watch: James' camp continues weighing offers as he tracks trade developments around the league before settling on a destination.