After James left the Lakers: He instructed his agent to contact all potential suitors, with the Warriors leading the odds board.

On July 1, Beijing time, according to Lakers reporter Dave McMenamin, sources close to LeBron James' thinking told ESPN that after a period of rest, reflection, and self-assessment, LeBron James has determined he still wants to continue playing competitive, championship-caliber basketball. James has confirmed he will play his 24th NBA season, but he has not yet decided whether this will be his final season.

After informing the Lakers of his decision to leave the team, James instructed his agent, Rich Paul, to contact all teams in the league that are interested in signing him, compile all potential landing spots, and then report back to him so he can make a final decision.

With the Lakers out, the odds for James' next team quickly updated. The Warriors, already in first place, further extended their lead, now at -400, a commanding margin. The Cavaliers are second at +115, followed by the Heat (+800), Celtics (+1000), Spurs (+1200), Nuggets and Timberwolves (+1600), and Knicks and Pistons (+2000).

Green has opted out of his contract, freeing up some salary cap space for the team. However, the Warriors subsequently gave Porzingis a 2-year, $40 million extension, preventing them from using the full $15.1 million mid-level exception. Still, the Warriors could create that cap room through later trades (e.g., by sending Moody). As James' hometown team, the Cavaliers have Harden willing to delay his own extension to recruit James—regardless, this will be one of James' options.

After the Heat acquired Antetokounmpo, they are also a championship contender next season. Heat president Pat Riley has always been skilled at building title-winning rosters. James and the Heat share a deep history—he played there for four seasons from 2010 to 2013, leading the team to two championships. A return to Miami is also a potential option.