There has not been much in the way of news, per se, from either the Lakers or LeBron since he opted in to his contract for 2025-26 in a move that sparked speculation about where he’ll finish his career.
The biggest move the Lakers made in the last 48 hours was their signing of veteran guard Marcus Smart to a two-year deal.
With Smart, forward Jake LaRavia and center Deandre Ayton now in the fold, the Lakers have addressed a few of their main weaknesses from a year ago.
At the moment, the upcoming season still marks the final year that James will be on L.A.’s books.
James, however, hardly squashed trade rumors with his response when asked by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin about his future during a Summer League game on July 12.
With LeBron James at the Lakers game tonight, I asked him if he would like to speak to me about his future with the franchise. “I ain’t got nothing to talk about,” he said. My report for ESPN from Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/sFRgCYHmqw
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 13, 2025
That comment did not result in any substantial odds movement last weekend. There has been substantial recent movement in DraftKings’ “LeBron James Next Team” market over the last few days, though, as we’ll detail below.
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LeBron James Next Team Odds At DraftKings
The odds below come from DraftKings (as of July 21).
In addition to each team’s betting odds, we’re also listing the implied probability that those odds carry. And for reference, this table also notes what each of these teams’ odds were on July 4.
Fine print, from DK: “First Regular Season minute played to be for which NBA team? [2025-26 only]”
Current DK odds (implied probability %)July 4 DK odds, implied probability
Lakers-340 (77.3)-1000 (90.9)Mavericks+300 (25)+600 (14.3)Cavaliers+600 (14.3)+1000 (9.1)Heat+1500 (6.3)longer than +5000*Knicks+2000 (4.8)+3000 (3.2)Clippers+2000 (4.8)+3500 (2.8)
*The Heat were longer than 50-to-1 when we broke down this market on July 4, so we didn’t list their exact odds.
LeBron James Next Team Analysis, Prediction
Before we go any further, keep in mind that for a bet on any team besides the Lakers to cash, a deal for LeBron would have to happen before the 2025-26 season begins in October.
I still don’t think there’s a realistic chance of James being dealt before the season, but the Lakers now being listed at -340 should not be ignored, especially given where their odds were when this market opened.
Now, let’s briefly break down whether — and how — the Mavericks, Cavs, Heat, Knicks and Clippers could make a deal for LeBron.
Could Dallas (+300) or Cleveland (+600) Land LeBron James?
If Dallas were to offer No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, the Lakers would certainly be all ears. We shouldn’t necessarily rule out anything where Nico Harrison is involved, but swapping a 40-year-old for a young potential star like Flagg is unimaginable right now.
The Cavaliers and Heat strike me as more intriguing and realistic possible James suitors due to his ties to both franchises, but let’s start with Miami. The Heat don’t have much in the way of proven commodities besides Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, making them almost as unrealistic as the Mavericks.
If the Cavaliers were to consider shipping out one of their 2024-25 All Stars (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland or Evan Mobley), they could make a compelling offer — and the chance to make noise in the injury-depleted East this year could be tempting for James.
Knicks (+2000) Or Clippers (+2000) To Pull Off Shocking James Blockbuster?
Let’s close with the Knicks and Clippers. New York will always be mentioned as a contender for James because of the market, but it’s hard to see Leon Rose blowing up an established roster with a real chance to win the East for a player with a year (or two at the most) left in his career.
The Clippers have had a solid offseason, adding Bradley Beal, John Collins, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul to complement Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac. They are now well positioned to contend in the West (especially if Leonard can stay healthy), not send away a haul for James’ final season or two.
This market has been interesting to talk about during a quiet time of year for hoops fans, but that doesn’t make any of these options remotely tempting (and the Lakers’ deal for Smart this weekend only made a big James trade seem even less likely).
If you are determined to place a bet on someone coming up with a blockbuster deal out of nowhere for James, I’d recommend looking at the Cavaliers. Still, staying away from this market was the smart move in early July, and that remains true despite the recent odds movement.
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