NBA Free Agency: Lakers Have One Of Best Odds To Sign LeBron James

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

With LeBron James presumably set to become a free agent this summer, the Los Angeles Lakers have 5/2 odds to sign him, per SportsBook. That trails only the Houston Rockets, who are the favorite with 9/5 odds.

The Philadelphia 76ers (5/2 odds), Cleveland Cavaliers (7/1) and Boston Celtics (20/1) round out the top five. The Lakers are on track to begin free agency with the most salary cap space available.

In addition to James, they’ve been heavily linked to Paul George as well. So too have the 76ers and Rockets, though only the Lakers are in position to sign both superstars to max-contracts.

After the Cavaliers were swept in the NBA Finals by the Golden State Warriors, James said he remained focus on winning championships and isn’t keen on joining a roster that would need to be built from scratch.

The Lakers and 76ers fit that description, though for L.A., signing George as well would accelerate their rebuild. Meanwhile, the 76ers, although young, boast one of the game’s better young cores that gained valuable experience by making the playoffs this season.

Where James will ultimately sign is anyone’s guess, even more so than in your typical free agent scenario. There were conflicting reports throughout the past season and the trend figures to only continue.

Most recently, the notion that James had a list of teams he intended to speak with was refuted. No matter how the situation unfolds, the Lakers figure to be involved and will receive at least some consideration.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers games, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com