LeBron James left the door open to all possibilities when he exercised his player option on Sunday. The comments from his representation suggest that James will be closely monitoring the moves that the Lakers make over the next few weeks, and that he could possibly ask out of Los Angeles if things don’t move in his desired direction.
This has caused trade rumors to run rampant, and sportsbooks have gotten in on the action. The oddsmakers at BetOnline have released the betting lines for which team would be the one to land the NBA’s all-time leading scorer should he be dealt. We take a look at some of the more interesting options on the board below.
Which Teams Could Trade For LeBron James?
| Dallas Mavericks | +250 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +400 |
| Golden State Warriors | +500 |
| New York Knicks | +600 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +800 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1000 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +1000 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1400 |
Dallas Mavericks (+250)
The Lakers and Mavericks completed a blockbuster trade that shocked the basketball world back in February. Could they do it again this summer? After a tumultuous few months in the wake of the Luka Doncic deal, some positive vibes are back in Dallas with the team landing Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft.
Could LeBron James be the next piece in the total transformation of the franchise? The oddsmakers have the line set at +250, the best of any team in the NBA, which have an implied probability of 28.5%. The Mavericks have the trade pieces to make the money work in a potential deal, and could get it done without giving up any of their core players.
Breaking: Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James is opting into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN.
Paul adds: LeBron "knows the Lakers are building for the future … but he values a realistic chance of winning it all." pic.twitter.com/q5mT1O2R35
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
Golden State Warriors (+500)
NBA fans have long theorized that LeBron James and Steph Curry would be open to playing alongside one another before their time in the league is up. Is now the perfect time? The Warriors are looking to make the most out of the twilight years of Curry’s career, and would love to add a piece that would make them legit contenders in the Western Conference.
It would take some sacrifices from Golden State, which would probably include Jimmy Butler being shipped off. It would be more likely that the Lakers would want young, future-building pieces in any exchange for James, and the Warriors have shied away from trading their younger core in recent years. The +500 designation carries implied odds of 16.6%.
San Antonio Spurs (+800)
The Spurs have been putting together valuable parts over the last few years, and are projected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference within the next couple of seasons. Could they accelerate that timeline by bringing in LeBron James? San Antonio would likely be able to send assets the Lakers way without tampering with their core, which now consists of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper.
It would be a giant swing that could potentially derail some of what the Spurs have been building. Would it be worth the risk for them? Their odds are listed at +800, or 11.1% implied.
