An Eastern Conference contender has been named as one of the favorites to acquire LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
East Contender Emerges Among Favorites to Acquire Lakers' LeBron James This Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
One of the biggest storylines thus far during the NBA offseason has been the growing tension between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
James elected to opt into his player option for next season instead of signing a new deal with the Lakers and it has been reported that he has grown frustrated with the organization as it has now become Luka Doncic’s team.
Because of this, the upcoming season is likely James’ last in Los Angeles as he will be a free agent next summer, though he has been the subject of trade rumors as well.
Despite this, pulling off a trade for James would be difficult for many teams around the NBA due to salary reasons, especially the contending teams, which is where the future Hall of Famer would want to play.
While that may be the case, an Eastern Conference contender has emerged as one of the favorites to land James this offseason if the Lakers trade him.
According to Bovada, the New York Knicks have the fifth-best odds (+800) to acquire James this offseason.
The Dallas Mavericks are the new favorites to land LeBron James, per @BovadaOfficial
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 15, 2025
Dallas Mavericks (+125)
Miami Heat (+500)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+550)
Golden State Warriors (+600)
New York Knicks (+800) pic.twitter.com/mWDSlpVsgV
The Dallas Mavericks are the favorite (+125) to land him and they are followed by the Miami Heat (+500) and Cleveland Cavaliers (+550).
For the Knicks, adding a player like James to their roster alongside Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns would likely make them the team to beat in the East in many people’s eyes around the league, especially with the conference being weakened due to injuries.
New York could create a package that includes OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges for James, which would be a major risk for them but also one that could land them one of the greatest players in league history to chase a championship next season.
While that may be the case, the Knicks have shown no interest in breaking up their core thus far this summer, though that could change if James or another top player becomes available on the trade market.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
