Basketball’s most iconic current legend is beating Father Time, somehow still playing at a superstar level. Where should he go to finish his career?

A lot has changed in the NBA since LeBron James last entered unrestricted free agency in 2018, when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for Hollywood to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kevin Durant’s Golden State Warriors were still dominating the league, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had just finished their first playoff run together by losing to James, and the core of nearly every contender was much different than today.

James has since won his fourth championship in 2020, but his Lakers have endured four disappointing campaigns since then, with two first round exits, a Conference Finals defeat, and a year missing the playoffs entirely. Their underperformance sets the stage for the much-anticipated free agency of arguably the greatest player of all time.

Stunningly, James has maintained his superstar level of play through his 21st season, beating Father Time to a degree that has never been approached in NBA history. He is still regarded as a fringe top-10 player in the league, making him a highly coveted name on the open market for his on-court performance, not just the fame and fortune his presence will guarantee a franchise.

Although James is likely to stay with the Lakers for a multitude of reasons, there is a real chance he leaves for a better chance at his fifth championship. Here are the top five places he should consider.

Golden State Warriors

Two top players of the generation can save each other from disappointing career endings

James actually signing with Golden State would be incredibly surprising, given the history he has with the franchise and the swirl of media narratives that would result from him joining the team he lost to three times in the Finals against. Going to the organization that was his biggest career rival and created some of the best battles in recent memory would be a risky move for his reputation and would probably feel very strange to James himself.

However, from a basketball perspective, James fits as well with the Warriors as he does with any other team. Golden State needs another primary shot creator to help Stephen Curry as he ages out of his prime, and requires the incoming player to provide size, strength, and athleticism that GS lacks.

Golden State needs a forward that can play alongside Curry, Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Brandin Podziemski, and James is the perfect fit.

From a viewer’s perspective, it would be unbelievably entertaining to watch the two greatest players of this generation join forces to save their careers from ending in disappointment.

Struggling Legends

Player
Titles
Finals Losses
Playoff PPG
Playoff GP

LeBron James (2015-18)
1
3
30.8
81

Stephen Curry (2015-18)
3
1
26.8
71

LeBron James Since
1
0
26.1
48

Stephen Curry Since
1
1
28.4
57

4Dallas Mavericks

James could contend for a championship while reuniting with Irving

The allure of James signing with the Dallas Mavericks is clear: play alongside the NBA’s next all-time legend in Luka Dončić and have a full circle moment by ending his career with the man he brought a championship to his hometown with in Kyrie Irving. He and Irving have both recently reflected wistfully on their too-short three years spent together, and there’d be no better way to conclude his time by chasing another title next to each other.

All-Time Greats by 25

Player
PPG
Total PTS
APG
Total AST

James (7 seasons)
27.6
16,081
7.0
4,057

Dončić (6 seasons)
28.7
11,470
8.3
3,317

Despite raising eyebrows with a trio that admittedly is a weird fit on the basketball court because of all three players’ ball-dominant style, this team would be incredibly effective as long as James remained at a similar level of play. Both James and Irving are quietly great off-ball players for different reasons: Irving is one of the game’s best spot-up shooters and closeout attackers, while James is an elite cutter, offensive rebounder, and closeout attacker.

James could even play center for this type of team and be a lob threat/dunker spot kind of offensive player for stretches, as well as be the best pick-and-roll partner Dončić could ever hope for. Imagine LeBron James rolling to the rim with Luka Dončić coming downhill. It could be the scariest thing for the NBA if James decides to join Dallas.

Philadelphia 76ers

Philly needs a ball-handling wing to complete trio of stars

Although critics will note that bringing the nearly 40-year-old James to play next to the injury-prone Joel Embiid could be a risky move, the Philadelphia 76ers are a great destination for many other reasons. Philly is a great sports city also starved for a title, they are ready to win now, and could also use a player exactly like James.

With the impending departure of Tobias Harris, which closes the books on one of the worst contracts in league history, Philly desperately needs a wing who can plug into that spot. James’ presence would take a lot of pressure off of Tyrese Maxey to be at his best every night by providing a seasoned playmaker that can help create shots.

If the 76ers could add James and fill out their roster with shooting and defense around their superstar trio, they’d instantly become one of the main championship contenders. Their roster is barren outside of Embiid and Maxey, but they have the cap space to sign James outright and still build around the margins of the squad.

Philadelphia 76ers — Close to Contention

Situation
W-L
NRTG

With Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey
29-7
10.5

Without One
18-28
-4.3

It would be incredible for NBA fans to watch two of the most dominant players in league history teaming up to repair one guy’s legacy, while completing the other’s.

New York Knicks

James would fit seamlessly with the ascending Knicks

There are three reasons for James to sign with the New York Knicks: they’re a young but experienced team on the rise, he is the missing piece to a championship-level rotation, and an opportunity to play at the league’s most iconic venue would be a storybook ending to a mythical run of basketball.

New York has eight cornerstone players, each of whom is under 30 years of age, but all have playoff experience with a squad that has proven they’re ready to take the next step. Only injuries derailed an Eastern Conference Finals push in 2024, and James could be the final part of a unit that would rival the Boston Celtics as the league’s best. The Knicks must bring back Isaiah Hartenstein and OG Anunoby, but James could be the next priority.

The 21-year veteran has a skillset that is exactly what the Knicks are missing. They need a big forward who can be a secondary shot creator next to Jalen Brunson while also chipping in on the glass and defensively, which he could devote more time to on a team with several offensive options and a superstar point guard.

If New York steps onto the Madison Square Garden floor in October next year with a lineup of Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, OG Anunoby, LeBron James, and Isaiah Hartenstein, not only will they be one of the game’s top teams, they will be the single biggest story in the NBA. We know James loves being in the spotlight, and winning NY’s first title in 52 years would be one of his crowning achievements.

New York Knicks Possible Rotation

Player
Age
2024 PPG
Playoff MPG

Jalen Brunson

LeBron James
39
25.7
40.8

OG Anunoby*
26
14.1
36.0

Donte DiVincenzo
27
15.5
35.8

Josh Hart
29
9.4
42.2

Deuce McBride
23
8.3
26.7

Isaiah Hartenstein
26
7.8
29.8

Mitchell Robinson
26
5.6
19.2

Los Angeles Lakers

Many factors suggest he will remain in purple and gold

The most likely result of James’ free agency saga is a return to the Lakers to finish his career. His two younger children live there, we know he loves Los Angeles, and he has many business interests that he likely prefers to stay in LA to pursue. The argument for James to suit up for a different franchise next October is purely basketball related, and may pale in comparison to the other factors.

If James returns to the Lakers for his final chapter, he may be running into the same wall in the Western Conference that he has for nearly a half-decade at this point. The roster is good, but likely not great enough to compete with the likes of the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves, among other solid teams that LA is no guarantee to be better than.

However, if the Lakers can make smart moves to reconfigure their talent in a way that fits better by eliminating redundancies in their backcourt as well as at the forward position, they still have two top-10 level players that have been the backbone of a championship team. James and Anthony Davis are still playing at an elite level and can be the faces of a contender as long as the roster gets more athletic around them.

Lakers Inconsistencies

Season
W-L
Seed in West
Playoff Result
James Missed GP

2018-19
37-45
10th
Missed Playoffs
27

2019-20
52-19
1st
Won Title
4

2020-21
42-30
7th
Lost 1st Round
27

2021-22
33-49
11th
Missed Playoffs
26

2022-23
43-39
7th
Lost WCF
27

2023-24
47-35
7th
Lost 1st Round
11

Total
254-217
–
1 Title, 1 WCF, 2 1st Round, 2 Miss Playoffs
122

If James does re-sign with Los Angeles, the front office should be prepared to finally part ways with future first-round picks to give their team a real shot at contention. To fail to do so would be wasting the final years of LeBron’s legendary career.