Los Angeles Lakers guard LeBron James could become a free agent this offseason if he declines his player option, and the betting market is ready. DraftKings is currently allowing bets on which team King James will bring his talents to next.
The Lakers are the heavy favorites at -500, but the Dallas Mavericks are tied for 5th place at +2500 along with the New York Knicks and Miami Heat. The teams ahead are the Golden State Warriors (+1400), Cleveland Cavaliers (+1400), and Philadelphia 76ers (+1800).
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In terms of basketball fit, there may not be a better team for LeBron than the Mavericks. He was teammates with Kyrie Irving during his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning a championship together in 2016. James has also been highly complimentary of Luka Doncic over the years, calling him his favorite player in the league.
It's fun to think about Doncic, Irving, and James working together to provide their passing and scoring ability, but the Mavericks are already projected to be at tax level, so James would have to take a significant pay cut to make that happen. You'll need to be prepared. team. The Mavericks could make moves such as terminating the contracts of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green, which would further reduce their financial flexibility going forward.
LeBron James has also never been shy about his desire to play alongside his son Bronny, who entered the NBA draft. Dallas currently holds the 58th and final pick of the NBA Draft via the Boston Celtics. If Bronny James is still on the board (which is a possibility given his limited performance in college and questions about his long-term turnaround), he could encourage LeBron to come to Dallas. It wouldn't be the worst idea to try to convince him.
Despite playing his 21st season at age 39, James still had an effective season, averaging 25.7 PPG, 8.3 APG, and 7.3 RPG while shooting a career-high 41% from 3-point range. He is still capable of playing at a high level and he wants to continue playing. He remains in contention for the title.
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