Where will LeBron James play next after leaving Los Angeles Lakers? Latest news as Miami Heat press publish by mistake
Published 23/07/2026 at 15:34 GMT+1
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Speculation about the future of NBA icon LeBron James has been the dominant talking point of the off-season, and it only intensified this week when the Miami Heat mistakenly posted a link on YouTube to a forthcoming "introductory press conference".
‘We’ll see’ – LeBron unsure over playing future after LA Lakers’ first round playoff exit
Video credit: TNT Sports
The link to the live stream - scheduled for next week - was uploaded to Miami's channel on YouTube, but was hastily removed.
James, 41, previously played for the Heat between 2010 and 2014, after being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.
For the last eight years, he has been with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading them to the NBA title in 2020, before leaving at the end of last season.
Quite simply, he is one of the great superstars of American sport, his name far transcending basketball.
The 22-time All-Star is the NBA's all-time leader in games (1,622) and points (43,440).
What isn't known is where he will be playing in the new season, which could be his last in the NBA,
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LeBron James is one of the great icons of US sport
Image credit: Getty Images
Why did James leave the Lakers?
A number of reports have suggested that James simply wanted to play for a more competitive team in the forthcoming season.
The phrase "meaningful, competitive basketball" has been doing the rounds, and after they were swept in the second round last season by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the evidence is there for all to see.
Where is James moving next?
James has been linked with a number of NBA teams, among them the Golden State Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Miami Heat and the Cavaliers.
It seems to be the accepted wisdom now that the Heat are favourites to acquire James' services.
A number of prediction markets have the chance of the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) going to Miami as around 50 per cent, with Cleveland at around 20 per cent and the others trailing behind that.
As well as spending his first seven years in the NBA with the Cavaliers, he returned to his home-town team in 2014 and played a crucial role in winning the organisation's first ever championship title in 2016.
This off-season, the Heat have already made a blockbuster move, trading for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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Did the Heat leak James announcement?
It is reported by Reuters that a spokesperson for the Heat said the video was posted in error by staff who were preparing for the possibility of James joining the side.
Whether it's actually quite a bit more than that - and James is indeed heading back to Florida - time will tell.
Is James' announcement holding up the NBA schedule release?
There appears to be no doubt that the schedule release is being held until we know for sure where James will be playing next season.
Whichever team James does decide to suit up for next season will likely have plenty more television attention, which could dictate the NBA schedule.
Speaking on the subject last week, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told CNBC: "I would like him to make his announcement already, so we can finish the schedule, because, as you might imagine, the teams are calling us, the networks are calling us, and everybody wants to lock in the schedule.
"But it will influence how we set the schedule, how we set opening week, Christmas Day, etc. So I need him to make a decision."
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