Four Shocking Minnesota Sports Signings – Is LeBron James Next?

All-time NBA great and future Hall of Famer LeBron James is a free agent heading into the 2026-27 season. He recently narrowed his list of potential suitors to five teams... and the Timberwolves are one of them.

While the Wolves are still considered a long shot to earn the services of the NBA's all-time scoring leader, it's still a possibility. Should James sign in Minnesota, it would certainly be the most shocking free agent signing in Minnesota pro sports history.

Who else makes the list of shocking signings?

BRETT FAVRE - 2009 MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Favre was the man Vikings fans loved to hate as the quarterback of the rival Green Bay Packers. After Green Bay took Aaron Rodgers in the 2006 NFL Draft, the clock was ticking on Favre's tenure with the Packers.

After a disastrous season with the New York Jets, Favre signed with the Vikings to assure himself two games against Green Bay and try to lead the purple to its first-ever Super Bowl win.

He almost did it, too! Favre led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game before an ill-advised return to the team in 2010 that was.. not great.

ZACH PARISE/RYAN SUTER - 2012 MINNESOTA WILD 

The Minnesota Wild were sputtering in the early 2010's and their long-running sellout streak had come to a close. Ownership knew they needed to make a big splash to keep fans engaged and, at the same time, believed they had a young core that would benefit from a pair of star veterans.

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The duo signed matching 13-year contracts worth $98 million each on July 4th, 2012. The pair failed to get the Wild farther than the second round of the playoffs throughout their tenure and a combination of on-ice ineffectiveness and off-ice incompatibility led the Wild to buy out both contracts in 2021 despite major salary cap penalties.

CARLOS CORREA - 2022 MINNESOTA TWINS 

The Twins were never on any list of potential suitors for two-time All Star and World Series champion Carlos Correa during his first foray into free agency. He received a three-year, $105 million contract but opted out after the first season of the deal.

After signing with both the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets, but subsequently failing physicals for both, he ended up re-signing with the Twins in January of 2023. He was later dealt back to the Astros in the Great Fire Sale of 2025.