A trailer for LeBron James' Space Jam 2 didn't release last night because details about the planned rollout leaked early. Fans of the 1996 live-action/animation hybrid have been following development on a sequel for years, with James and director Justin Lin becoming attached in 2016. Since then, it's mostly been quiet on the Space Jam 2 front, but there was a new wave of excitement last week when it was reported James would debut a Space Jam 2 teaser after announcing his highly-anticipated free agency decision.

On Sunday, July 1, 2018, James agreed to a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, putting him right in the middle of Hollywood as he nears the end of his NBA career. As basketball fans fervently discussed what the move meant for the league, moviegoers were left wondering why the news was delivered by way of an inconspicuous tweet, as opposed to the more elaborate idea James allegedly had. Now, it's been revealed why things changed.

Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson of Basketball Society, who had the original trailer scoop, heard from a source saying James and his management scrapped the trailer when their plans were revealed. Apparently, Space Jam 2 is still in the pipeline, but we'll have to wait a little longer to get our first look. Basketball Society also mentioned the trailer would have entailed James agreeing to help find stolen sports memorabilia, wearing "Lakers gear" as a means of telling people where he's signing.

From the sound of things, James intended for the Space Jam 2 trailer to be a surprise and didn't like the fact that it was spoiled ahead of time. There's no telling when a preview for the film will be released, but hopefully it is soon. James would not have signed with the Lakers if he didn't feel they were in position to be successful on the court, but there could be some other motives for his decision. He is co-owner of a production company and is looking to make a splash in the entertainment realm. Earlier this year, it was announced James would produce a reboot of the film House Party. Being in Los Angeles is certainly beneficial to those goals, and it conceivably will make it easier to get Space Jam 2 off the ground.

There may also be another reason behind James' choice to announce his decision in this manner. NBA fans will recall James infamously staged a nationally televised show to reveal he was signing with the Miami Heat in 2010, which is one of the few times in his playing career he garnered widespread criticism. He certainly learned a lot from that experience, so perhaps he felt it would be less controversial to put out a press release revealing his intentions, rather than make it into a big production. Space Jam 2 is most likely on James' radar, but right now he has more important priorities to take care of.

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Source: Basketball Society