This season didn’t end how 41-year-old LeBron James would’ve wished, with his Los Angeles Lakers getting swept in the second round of the NBA Playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he showed he can still play at a high level.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer hasn’t officially said if he’s returning for a 24th season, but if he does he’ll be one of the top free agents available. When could he make that decision?
He addressed that topic recently on his podcast with Steve Nash, saying, “I haven’t even taken my family vacation yet, which is going to happen after Memorial Day. But I think at some point in June, late June, as July rolls around — free agency starts to get going and as July rolls around and maybe into August, we’ll start to kind of get a feel of what my future may look like.”
And if he comes back, what team would he be playing for?
DraftKings Sportsbook has odds available in certain states on which team James will play his first regular season minute for in the 2026-27 season. The Lakers are the odds-on favorite at -150, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers at +240.
No other team has single-digit odds.
The San Antonio Spurs (13-1) and Golden State Warriors (14-1) have the next-best odds. The Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks — always a rumored destination for James — are among eight teams at 20-1.
On the prediction market Polymarket, the Lakers (57%) are the favorite as well, but the Golden State Warriors are tied with the Cavs for the second-best chance at 26%.
NBA teams can begin officially negotiating with free agents at 6 p.m. ET on June 30.
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