Jokic/LeBron rumors cleared up, and it has nothing to do with teaming up in Denver

When LeBron James and Miško Ražnatović, Nikola Jokic’s agent, met on a yacht recently and posted the picture on social media, they sent the NBA world into a frenzy. To add fuel to the fire, the post was even captioned, “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026!”

James is entering the final year of his contract with the Lakers and will be an unrestricted free agent next season, which starts in the fall of 2026. There was rampant speculation, and a swath of hopeful Nuggets fans thought this meeting may indicate that LeBron was planning to team up with the Joker in Denver to chase an elusive fifth championship ring.

But sadly, that never seemed particularly likely. James is still under contract for another season, and it’s not like Ražnatović has any say in running the Nuggets. Jokic wasn’t present for the meeting, nor was LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, but his business partner, Maverick Carter, was there, and perhaps that should have been the giveaway.

James and Ražnatović meeting to discuss new global basketball league

The two titans of industry were reportedly meeting about the new international basketball league being spearheaded by Carter. This new global enterprise is slated to feature 6 men's teams and 6 women's teams that would tour from city to city around the world, comparable to the LIV golf model.

This would be a full-time commitment, and players would not be able to participate in any other domestic leagues like the NBA. The league is backed by global investors, but NBA rules prevent players from having any ownership stake. However, players in this new league will be able to receive equity.

This league is set to kick off in the fall of 2026 and appears to be the inspiration for this private yacht meeting in France. Miško Ražnatović is a power player in Europe as he founded and runs the BeoBasket Agency. He has a number of clients and connections across Europe and around the world.

His agency also has a partnership with Jokic’s American agency, Excel Sports Management, and he represents other players like Ivica Zubac, Goga Bitadze, Nikola Jovic, plus a long list of former players and current stars playing outside of the NBA.

So for now, we can calm down on the LeBron to Denver rumors and start focusing on the upcoming season. With or without the all-time great, the Nuggets have had an outstanding offseason, and they are primed to make a run at another title.