NBA Trade Rumors: LeBron James Reportedly Meets with Nikola Jokic's Agent to Discuss New Global Basketball League
LeBron James could be making his next major move—not on the court, but in the boardroom.
According to Front Office Sports, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and his longtime business partner Maverick Carter recently met with Miško Ražnatović, the European agent of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić, to discuss plans for a new international basketball league.
The meeting reportedly took place in Saint-Tropez, France, where Ražnatović posted a photo of himself alongside James and Carter aboard a yacht. His Instagram caption read:
"The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026!"
Meeting Not About Lakers or Nuggets
While the image sparked speculation of a potential LeBron-Jokić NBA pairing with either the Lakers or Nuggets, Front Office Sports confirmed that the meeting was not related to either NBA team. Instead, it centered around a potential rival league to the NBA with a global presence.
$5 Billion International League in the Works
The potential new league, first reported by Shams Charania in January, is being spearheaded by a group of investors advised by Carter. The group is reportedly seeking to raise $5 billion to launch an international basketball league featuring six men’s teams and six women’s teams playing worldwide.
Although Charania initially stated that James was not directly involved in the league’s formation, his recent meeting with Ražnatović suggests his involvement could be evolving.
League Format Similar to Formula 1 and LIV Golf
The startup league would reportedly operate on a traveling model, with games played in different international cities on a weekend or week-long basis, similar to Formula 1 or LIV Golf.
This structure would require full-time commitments from players, meaning they likely wouldn’t be able to participate in the NBA or other leagues simultaneously.
Major Global Investors Backing the League
The new league has reportedly attracted massive international funding, including:
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Singapore government
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Riyadh’s Public Investment Fund
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SC Holdings
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UBS
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Skype founder Geoff Prentice
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Former Facebook executive Grady Burnett
This financial backing highlights the scale and seriousness of the project—and its potential to disrupt professional basketball as we know it.
NBA Eyes Its Own Global Expansion
In response to these growing international ambitions, NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed in March that the league is actively exploring a Europe-based league in partnership with FIBA. The NBA also announced plans to play six regular-season games in Europe over the next three years.
Silver emphasized that “now is the time to move to that next stage” in the NBA’s global development efforts.
LeBron James could be positioning himself for a post-playing career that goes far beyond team ownership, potentially reshaping the future of global basketball with an NBA competitor on the rise.
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