National Basketball Association

Oddsmakers are taking bets on where LeBron will play next season

Published Jun. 21, 2016 1:00 p.m. ET

Andrew Lynch

There's no way he leaves again, right?

Fine. After winning the first major sports championship for Cleveland in 52 years, LeBron James can do whatever he wants from this point on. If he wants to go back to Miami, cool. If he's ready to run this back with the Cavaliers and go for a repeat, awesome. If he wants to go play tight end for the Buffalo Bills, we can dig it. The man has earned all the leeway in the world.

So if you really believe he's going to leave the Cavs this offseason -- remember, he has a player option for next year and can choose to become a free agent instead -- you might be interested to learn that online sportsbook Bovada has posted odds on where LeBron will play next season. You know, for purely entertainment-based reasons:

Cleveland Cavaliers: -400

Miami Heat: +500

Los Angeles Lakers: +650

Los Angeles Clippers: +1100

New York Knicks: +1500

Sure. Sure. The Cavs are heavy favorites, as they probably should be. If LeBron's going to leave, Miami makes some sense; he gets to reunite with Dwyane Wade and live near the beach, true, but that whole "secret motivation" thing might be a problem.

As for the third most likely team: Hahahahahahahahahahaha, no. Sure, the Lakers have to be on this list. It'd be negligent not to post that line, because people want to dream. But honestly, it'd make more sense (to me) to have the Thunder here. Why wouldn't LeBron go form another superteam and show KD who's still the greatest? It makes about as much sense as purple and gold.

Anyway. The Clippers could hook LeBron up with Chris Paul, and the Knicks have Carmelo Anthony (plus KRISTAPS); while that wouldn't quite be playing with the whole "Brotherhood," either opportunity gets LeBron a season with one of his best friends (and also maybe Kristaps).

Seriously, though. The Lakers? Nah. Not happening.

Right?