Will LeBron Leave The Lakers? James’ Next Team Odds For 2023-24 Season

LeBron James publicly declared that he is unsure about playing basketball beyond this season. Following a Game 4 loss and exit from the Western Conference Finals at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, James stated that he will consider retirement in the offseason.

Is James being serious, or is this more of a message to the Lakers’ organization? He certainly looked frustrated and beaten down during the post-game press conference. According to BetUS, the odds point toward James not being serious about retirement.

Bronny James committed to play college basketball at USC. He will be there for at least a year before declaring for the NBA. As close as Bronny is with LeBron, will his dad leave Southern California to play for a new team? If you believe he will, BetUS is offering you the chance to cash in.

Currently, NBA betting sites have odds on where LeBron James could end up if he leaves the Lakers this season. The next team odds for LeBron include a list of 12 teams. Some teams do not make sense, but others might make you pause and think for a second.

2023-24 LeBron James’ Next Team Betting Odds

The following LeBron James prop bet odds are courtesy of BetUS:

Keep in mind that these LeBron James’ odds are for only IF he goes to a new team. If he stays with the Lakers, then all bets are void and canceled. In other words, you can bet on this prop with a small bit of insurance.

Currently, the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks have the best odds of signing James. The 38-year-old has a year left on a two-year contract worth $97.1 million, according to Spotrac¹.

He can still play the game of basketball. There is no denying this. James is coming off another All-Star campaign. He averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game in 55 contests². Most importantly, James was able to avoid a serious injury.

If James wants to play well into his forties, his body should allow him to. Having said that, his mind may not be committed to playing NBA basketball for much longer, if at all.

Where will LeBron play next? Let’s go over the favorites and our top pick for his team in 2023-24.

2023-24 LeBron James’ Next Team Betting Favorites

Philadelphia 76ers (+350)

The Philadelphia 76ers are no strangers to playing good basketball in the regular season and then collapsing in the spring. Joel Embiid is one of the most highly regarded NBA players in the league. This season, he was rightfully awarded the NBA MVP award.

However, Embiid has been unable to enjoy postseason success in Philadelphia. The organization added James Harden in an attempt to put the final piece of the puzzle on the floor. It did not go according to plan, and Harden opted out of his contract recently.

There is “an appetite” around the NBA for James Harden landing a four-year contract worth over $200M, per @WindhorstESPN

A non-Sixers team could pay Harden $201.7 million over four years pic.twitter.com/9tz1UiIFqe

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 21, 2023

With Harden a free agent, and the 76ers unlikely to sign Harden to a max deal, is James an option? Embiid and the 76ers would be thrilled to pass on Harden and welcome James to Philadelphia.

The 76ers finished third in the Eastern Conference with a record of 54-28 this past season. Inserting James into the starting lineup would immediately propel the 76ers to the top of many people’s NBA betting strategies for the 2023-24 season.

Tobias Harris isn’t the worst small forward in the NBA. However, James would provide an instant upgrade at small forward for the 76ers. Harris is going into the final season of a five-year $180 million contract in Philadelphia³.

The 76ers could make this work and find room for James. He would be a good fit with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Whether James is interested in playing for the 76ers remains to be seen, though.

New York Knicks (+350)

The basketball market that would go into the biggest frenzy over James would be in New York with the Knicks. If James decides on the Knicks as his next team, Knicks fans are going to go nuts.

Unlike the 76ers, expectations haven’t been as high on the Knicks in the postseason. However, the team is getting to a point where they have to get over the hump while their core is in its prime.

This past season, the Knicks finished at 47-35 for a respectable fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They were chased out of the Playoffs by a red-hot Miami Heat squad, who are closing in on a trip to the NBA Finals.

Jalen Brunson is a budding star for the Knicks. Also, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are nice contributors in the starting lineup, as well. There has to be some attraction for James to play with this team.

Not only could James give the Knicks a much-needed boost to compete for the top spot of the Eastern Conference, but New York is also a significant NBA market.

It is hard to see James going from Los Angeles to a small to mid-market team. Cleveland is the exception, but he is likely not going back to the Cavs for a third time. Therefore, New York makes sense as a possible destination in 2023-24.

Best LeBron James’ Next Team Value Bet: Los Angeles Clippers (+550)

Lakers fans aren’t going to like this idea. What if James stays in Los Angeles, but jumps sides to the Clippers?

It seems like a ridiculous plan to jump sides with an inter-city rival. However, if James is serious about staying in Southern California, but wants a new team, then the Clippers are the obvious choice.

Bronny has made his choice to play with the USC Trojans for his collegiate career. LeBron likely wants to play a role in helping him develop as a player in college.

He would be unable to do this from Philadelphia or New York. Switching sides from the Lakers to the Clippers would give James his new team, but also, the city he wants to be in.

If Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer knows he could sign James, he will be out in front of his house doing whatever it takes. Time is running out on the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard experiment.

Ballmer is already all-in on winning an NBA Championship. Does Ballmer want to slide the rest of his chips into the pot? Don’t look past the Clippers making a play for James if he wants to play for a new organization.

Best LeBron James Next Team Longshot Bet: Miami Heat (+900)

It wouldn’t be the first time that James has had a second stint with an NBA team. He spent seven years from 2003 to 2010 with the Cavaliers.

“King” James returned to deliver a championship to Cleveland in 2016. Between his first and second stint in Cleveland, James was with the Heat for four years.

James didn’t win his promised seven NBA titles with the Heat. However, he brought two championships to Miami alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Could James make a return to try to make his promise closer to reality? In December, Pat Riley revealed that James wanted Erik Spoelstra fired after just 17 games into his tenure with the Heat⁴.

Spoelstra is still with the Heat and on the verge of going back to the NBA Finals. We are sure that James and Spoelstra’s relationship is on better terms now.

Pat Riley was fined $25K for saying he’d leave ‘the shiny key under the mat’ for LeBron James if he wanted to return to Miami Heat. pic.twitter.com/EDG2ejY7y2

— theScore (@theScore) June 9, 2021

James and Riley had a falling out years ago, but have put their differences aside by now. Riley has been open to James returning, even getting fined for comments regarding the matter in 2021.

This prop bet is a long shot for good reason. However, compared to the other teams with long odds, Miami makes plenty of sense. The Heat have the most value on the board as sports betting sites have them listed at +900 odds.

2023-24 Lebron James’ Next Team Prediction

We are confident that James is staying in Los Angeles with the Lakers. The second most likely option for James is retirement. Fortunately, though, if he is with the Lakers in 2023-24 this prop bet is a push at BetUS.

We have cut it down to the Knicks and Heat for James’ top destinations for next season. When it comes down to it, Miami is likely an attractive spot for James. Playing out the rest of his career and retiring in South Beach doesn’t seem that unrealistic.

James would be going back to a place where he is familiar with the area and organization. He certainly doesn’t dislike Miami.

Additionally, the Heat has a roster that is in win-now mode. They bolstered their roster by acquiring Kyle Lowry and likely wouldn’t shy away from James. LeBron could win another championship with this team in his first year.

Reportedly, James was playing with a torn tendon over the last few months, including through the Playoffs⁵. He will take some time to heal and step back to look at the full picture. Do not expect an answer from James anytime soon.

After the dust settles, Miami could be in the cards for LeBron in 2023-24, if he leaves the Lakers.