LeBron James is leaving Los Angeles but could be staying in California to play a 24th NBA season.
News broke early Tuesday afternoon that James, an unrestricted free agent, plans to pause talk of retirement and continue his career, and do so with a franchise other than the Lakers. This comes after James spent the last eight seasons of his career in Hollywood where he won a title (in 2020) and became the league’s all-time leading scorer (in 2024).
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The most popular landing spot for James’ next – and likely, last – stop seems to be the Golden State Warriors.
Earlier this month, Golden State entered the picture as a potential James destination when NBC Sports Bay Area reported that “there is at least curiosity on both sides,” referring to James and the Warriors.
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James aligning with his former rival, Golden State, seems even more possible after Monday’s news that Draymond Green, a friend of James’ and fellow future Hall of Famer, was declining his $27.6 player option with the Warriors. Green then plans to resign for less money per year, freeing up cap space for the Warriors to use, potentially on James.
ESPN, on Monday, reported that the flexibility opened by way of Green’s contract opt-out, paves the way for Golden State to pursue James via free agency. Should James eventually ink with the Warriors – a team he beat for the 2016 NBA title as a member of the Cavaliers – he’d become teammates with not only Green, but also Steph Curry, another close friend and eventual Hall of Famer.
Whether it’s the Bay Area or elsewhere, James’ next NBA home is a popular topic among bettors. 66% of Polymarket bettors see him joining the Warriors. That destination is easily the favorite for those placing wagers. Prior to James informing the Lakers of his intention to sign elsewhere, Golden State was still the betting favorite but had less than 60% of the wagers. A third stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, whom James was drafted by and won a title with in 2016 against the Warriors, is currently being wagered at 22.6%, second-most, only behind Golden State.
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James, 41, is a 21-time All-Star who averaged better than 21 points per game last season. The NBA’s free agency negotiation window opens at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday and players can officially sign with new teams on July 6.
Expect LeBron’s next decision soon.
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