With the Los Angeles Lakers exiting early in the 2024 NBA playoffs, the biggest story yet again for the team is the impending future of their superstar, LeBron James. The 39-year-old star has the option to opt out of his current contract and sign with another team.
His initial plan was to play with his son, Bronny James before deciding to hang up his basketball shoes and leave the game for good. But that thought was a couple of years ago, and it’s quite hard to read LeBron’s mind about his future in the league.
With that being said, here are five teams LeBron James should sign with and five he should avoid at all costs.
Which teams would make sense for LeBron James to continue his career and which ones should he avoid?
Should Sign With: Los Angeles Lakers
Let’s start with the obvious selection here. When LeBron left Ohio to move under the bright lights of LA, he also uprooted his entire family with him. Business-wise, it would be smart for him to stick with the Lakers as the team itself is a worldwide recognized brand.
However, the Lakers aren’t built to contend for another championship within the next couple of years. They have limited trade assets due to the plethora of deals they made in order to construct a somewhat decent roster around James and Davis. If LeBron wants to expand his empire beyond retirement, then the Lakers should be first on his list.
Should Avoid: Miami Heat
MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 04: A detail of the Miami Heat “Vice Versa” logo on the court during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Arena on January 04, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Some reports suggest that a LeBron-Miami reunion would be feasible next season, as the Heat are still considered one of the top teams in the East when healthy. As we all know, James had a colorful history with the team a decade ago, winning two championships and an FMVP in four seasons in South Beach.
But is it all worth it for both sides to reunite? While the Heat does have some nice pieces around the team who can complement LeBron’s playstyle, some issues have gone unresolved since James left the team in 2014 to go back home to Cleveland. Rumors has it that Pat Riley isn’t too keen on rolling the red carpet for LBJ if he decides to take his talents down in Miami again.
Should Sign With: New York Knicks
If King James decides to skip LA and take his talents back in the Eastern Conference, then the Knicks would be a great fit for him. New York basketball has been buzzing lately with Jalen Brunson at the helm and adding LeBron would definitely catapult them into title contention within the next couple of years.
As the mecca of basketball, the media frenzy surrounding James’s arrival in New York would essentially dominate the news from anywhere around the globe. His Knicks jersey will fly off the shelves at an unprecedented rate and most importantly, he will be a beloved figure for the team even for a couple of short years.
Should Avoid: Phoenix Suns
The only allure for LBJ to sign with the Suns is his history with their current head coach, Frank Vogel. Other than that, teaming up with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal doesn’t make sense on paper.
Aside from the fact that the numbers don’t work, the Suns will be too limited in signing guys to fill up their roster. While Kevin Durant is still a walking bucket despite being at the tail end of his prime, four stars on a single team seems like overkill. The Suns need a point guard, and at 39, LeBron might be better off taking his game elsewhere where he won’t be tasked with running a team.
Should Sign With: Golden State Warriors
Realistically, the Warriors’ dynasty is on its last legs. Their chapter is closing, and their organization just won’t admit it. However, if they can somehow entice James for one last run at the Larry O’Brien trophy, then maybe they can squeeze a year or two to contend before LBJ, Thompson, and Green ride off into the sunset.
One good fact is that LeBron would still stay in California if he chooses the Warriors in the upcoming offseason. The other good thing is that the Warriors have a strong following, just like the Lakers, and his addition to the team would be a welcomed move by their fanbase.
Should Avoid: Philadelphia 76ers
Philly would be a decent choice for LeBron, but there are numerous factors why he should stay away from the team once he becomes a free agent this summer. Joel Embiid is too injury-prone to contend for a championship despite his brilliance on the court.
Their role players really don’t complement James’s game well, and he’d be tasked with doing much on both ends of the floor on a nightly basis. At 39 years old, doing otherworldly things can take a toll on a basketball court, and Philly fans will have unrealistic expectations of him if he does decide to don a Sixers jersey.
Should Sign With: Dallas Mavericks
If LeBron wants to contend and stay in the West, the Mavericks might be his best option this summer. It’s an open secret that Kyrie Irving and LeBron James want to play together again since the unceremonious ending of their partnership with the Cavaliers years ago.
With the Mavs, LeBron won’t be tasked with taking on a heavy load, as they have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving running the show on a nightly basis. James will be the third option for Dallas but will still play a pivotal role as the team’s starting small forward. He can afford to sit some games if he nurses an injury, but most importantly, the Mavericks will be instant favorites to win it all next season with James in tow.
Should Avoid: Oklahoma City Thunder
Don’t get me wrong – LBJ on a young Thunder team would be dangerous for the entire league as they are built to contend for the next three to five years – but as a small market team without much fanfare across the league, an unprecedented move like this would certainly hurt LeBron’s brand as a basketball player.
If James decides to sign with the Thunder, he will become an outcast in their offensive schemes, which are designed to play fast and switch multiple positions defensively. If King James was in his early 30s, the pairing would probably work, but that’s not the reality we have today. OKC wants to play their young guys to gain tons of experience at a rapid rate, but LeBron really doesn’t fit the team’s on-court chemistry.
Should Sign With: Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James coming home again for the third time? That would be a crazy thought, but not entirely fictional. Cavs fans have softened their stance on their hometown hero ever since he brought them to the promised land in 2016.
Would the team be contenders again if he decided to don a Cavs uniform? Not a chance. They do have some nice pieces, but this version of LeBron is quite different from the one they are accustomed to. The only good reason for him to sign again with the Cavs is that he should end his career where it all started. It may not result in another championship for the city, but it will definitely be one hell of a great story.
Should Avoid: San Antonio Spurs
LBJ’s advancing age(he turns 40 next season) should be the sole factor why he should not consider joining Coach Pop and Wemby in San Antonio next season. The team is nowhere near title contention for now, and he really doesn’t fit with the Spurs’ current timeline.
Victor Wembanyama needs a couple more years to develop into one of the game’s future superstars, and by then, LeBron will already be 42 years old. The only possible way this could all happen is that his son, Bronny James, will be drafted by the Spurs in the upcoming 2024 NBA draft and LeBron might forgo his championship aspirations and play for a rebuilding team to join his eldest child.
