The greatest player of all time could become an unrestricted free agent and ride off into the sun with Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs.

It’s hard to deny that LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time. While Michael Jordan has more rings than James will likely ever have, his longevity and sustained dominance are unmatched by anyone in league history.

However, Father Time comes for everyone eventually, and there is the very real possibility that James will sign the last contract of his career this summer. If he decides to test unrestricted free agency, expect every team in the league to at least make an offer, and the San Antonio Spurs are no different.

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© Jerome Miron, USA TODAY

James, 39, is one of the most athletic, skilled, and most importantly, smart, players to ever lace them up on the hardwood. His basketball IQ is unquestionably great, which puts him in a unique position: he can chase one last title while mentoring the next generation.

The next generation has plenty of possible headliners. Chet Holmgren, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and eventually Cooper Flagg all stand out, but no one towers over the rest like Victor Wembanyama. Coached by Gregg Popovich, the Spurs’ young superstar is poised to take the league over sooner rather than later, and James could help facilitate Wemby’s greatness.

The prevailing belief around the league is that “James is expected to opt out of his current contract.”

“Although the sense is he’ll re-sign with the Lakers, he will be an unrestricted free agent if he declines his player option,” wrote Dan Woike. While it is wildly expected that James will re-sign with the Lakers, anything can happen in negotiations, and if the Spurs use one of their two second-round picks on Bronny James, The King might be swayed to pursue a change of scenery.

At the end of the day, the Spurs will have to put together the best sales pitch out of 30 teams, but between Popovich, Wembanyama, and possibly the younger James on the roster, their pitch might be enough.