There has been a lot of speculation about what the NBA future may hold for LeBron James. His focus right now is healing up his foot and getting back on the court to help the Los Angeles Lakers win basketball games. But, there is always going to be a discussion about where he could end up next.
James has been clear that he wants to play long enough to be teammates with his son, Bronny James. Right now, the earliest that Bronny will be eligible to join the NBA is the 2024 NBA Draft. With an option for the 2024-25 season, many people expect LeBron to decline that and choose his next destination based on where his son lands in the draft.
A lot can change between now and then, so that situation remains fluid. However, if James truly had his pick of where he would end up next, it could be the Dallas Mavericks along with Luka Doncic.
While making an appearance on Fanatics Views, Brian Windhorst of ESPN provided an interesting update on what the future may hold for James. While he made it clear that he doesn’t want to leave Los Angeles, Dallas could be an intriguing landing spot should he change his mind.
“I don’t think he wants to leave L.A., I think that’s pretty clear,” Windhorst told Fanatics View. “I do think he has a great respect for Luka and he has appreciated him for a long time, not that that’s surprising. So I would not rule anything out. But, LeBron has not shown iota of interest in leaving L.A. and Luka is obviously committed here for a long time.”
That would certainly be something if James and Doncic teamed up. The gears could start getting put into motion this offseason for such a move depending on what happens with Kyrie Irving and his impending free agency.
If Irving opts to leave the Mavericks as a free agent, one of the teams that he has been linked to is the Lakers. But, after remaking their entire roster ahead of the trade deadline, Irving may no longer be in the long-term plans of Rob Pelinka and the Lakers.
Alas, as Windhorst said, it will take something truly drastic to occur for James and Doncic’s paths to cross outside of the All-Star game festivities. Both are committed to their current situations and there has been no indication that will change any time soon.
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