LeBron James might be inching closer to a decision on where he’ll play his 24th NBA season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday, July 14 that ” there’s a focus on Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia,” with the Cavaliers emerging as a top suitor for a potential third and final chapter to bookend James’ storied career.
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“My understanding is right now as we speak, LeBron James has the information that’s needed to make a decision,” Charania said on a segment of NBA Today. “It’s decision time right now for LeBron James. Team presidents, GMs, they’re all talking to Rich Paul here again this week; they’ve made all their pitches. LeBron James has listened to multiple voice notes delivered to him by Rich Paul from other owners and presidents from teams that are trying to give him their best pitch.”
Other teams in the mix for James have included the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors, with Front Office Sports reporting that several front office executives within the league expect James to sign with the Warriors over his hometown Cavs. The gambling industry has reflected that sentiment with the Warriors surging all the way up to odds-on favorites, according to BetMGM.
Charania also reported that the monetary value of the offers teams have made to James vary from mid-level exceptions to the league minimum.
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“He’s made it clear he wants to be a part of a team where he has a chance to compete for a championship,” Charania said. “A new team environment and culture he can be a part of. … This is not a money driven decision.”
With the LeBron James sweepstakes looking like it’s down to two or three teams, here’s the latest on the King’s free agency odds:
LeBron odds: Latest betting odds for likely landing spots
According to the latest odds from BetMGM, the Warriors are the most likely team to secure the services of James at -250 with the Cavaliers a close second at +300. The gap widens significantly from there, with the next-best odds belonging to the Miami Heat (+800) followed by the San Antonio Spurs (+1600).
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Are Warriors close to landing LeBron James?
Vegas isn’t the only one who sees the Bay Area as a strong possibility for James. Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday that several NBA front office executives expect LeBron to sign with the Warriors over the Cavs, citing the proximity to his family in Los Angeles and the on-court fit alongside Steph Curry compared to Cleveland, which has James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
“I would be stunned if he picked a team that wasn’t Golden State or Cleveland<‘ an anonymous Western Conference executive said in the report.
If James and Curry were to unite, it would represent one last push for a title by the NBA’s old guard. The two previously joined forces in the 2024 Olympics, where they led Team USA to a gold medal while coached by Steve Kerr, who signed a two-year contract extension to remain with Golden State earlier this offseason.
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Curry was once James’ biggest on-court rival. They met in the NBA Finals four consecutive years from 2015-18 with the Warriors winning three times. James led the Cavs to the greatest comeback in NBA history in 2016, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors in seven games. It was James’ third ring and it broke Cleveland’s 52-year pro sports title drought in the process, fulfilling his promise to bring a championship to his hometown team when he returned in 2014.
James’ final decision appears to be imminent. The only question remains is whether the King will return home once more, or if he’ll put on the jersey of the team that he’s been intertwined with for the past decade of his career.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James next team odds: Warriors emerge as favorites for the King
