As the 2023/2024 NBA season is approaching, the futures prop bets for some veteran NBA stars heat up the betting board. LeBron James leads that list of players’ futures odds of which team he would suit up for. Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are also on the list as far as NBA cities that they can call home in the 2023/2024 season.
LeBron James
(Instead of the Los Angeles Lakers)
- Dallas Mavericks +300
- Golden State Warriors +400
- Phoenix Suns +500
- Cleveland Cavaliers +600
- New York Knicks +600
LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 and returned to the team in 2014 after spending four seasons in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James went to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and has been in that organization for the last five seasons.
Lebron is happy to reside in Los Angeles but has one more move to make before his playing days are over. The Lakers would be one of the choices for finishing out his career. However, James could join Kyrie Erving and Luka Doncic in Dallas next season (2024/2025).
From a betting standpoint, the Lakers would be the favorite for the 2023/2024 season. The Mavericks could be a legitimate contender at +300 this season if they can pull some strings to get these three players in Dallas. As a live longshot at +600, the New York Knicks could be an East Coast team with the star power to land one of the biggest players of all time.
Chris Paul
(Any Team)
- San Antonio Spurs +200
- Los Angeles Lakers +275
- Boston Celtics +500
- Los Angeles Clippers +600
- Dallas Mavericks +700
Chris Paul spent the last three seasons with the Phoenix Suns, but a change may be good for both parties. The Suns are working through several possibilities with Paul, and the front office is eager to trade him from the team.
Paul started his pro career in New Orleans in 2005 but found his home in Los Angeles with the Clippers from 2011 until 2017. He spent two years in Houston and one year in Oklahoma City before landing in Phoenix. Paul has discussed options for playing in San Antonio, but he also wants to leave the door open to playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers at +275 are my betting choice. Los Angeles wants to appease both LeBron James and Anthony Davis in staying with the team. Chris Paul could be one of the missing pieces of the Lakers’ puzzle.
Russell Westbrook
(Instead of the Los Angeles Clippers)
- New York Knicks +200
- Chicago Bulls +300
- San Antonio Spurs +400
- Miami Heat +650
- Washington Wizards +800
Russell Westbrook played for Oklahoma City from 2008 until 2019. He made stops in Houston, Washington, and Los Angeles (Lakers) before playing for the LA Clippers in the tail-end of the 2022/2023 season. Westbrook played 21 games for the Clippers, averaging 15.8 points and 7.8 assists.
Westbrook was officially signed with the Clippers in February of this year. He plans on playing for LA in the 2023/2024 season. However, his betting odds favor the New York Knicks at +200 or the Chicago Bulls at +300 as being his new team.
Clippers’ president Lawrence Frank told reporters that the team was re-signing Westbrook, but New York is an East Coast team that makes sense from a betting standpoint. Westbrook is the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles over the course of his career, and he would be an asset to the Knicks.
