4 teams that could offer LeBron better championship odds next season

Despite the best efforts of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers once again came up short in the playoffs, falling 4-1 in the first round to the defending champion Denver Nuggets. The Lakers were extremely competitive against Denver, holding leads of at least nine points in every game before ultimately succumbing, including twice to Jamal Murray game-winners in the final seconds.

With his 21st season now in the books, the rumor mill is about to once again chug to life for LeBron, especially after he declined to answer a question after the game on whether he thought about this being the end of his time with the Lakers.

LeBron has a player option for next year, which means that where he plays is entirely up to him. Just as he did in previous stops with the Cavs and Heat, he delivered a championship to L.A., but after finishing No. 8 in the West in the regular season and suffering another early playoff exit, he has to wonder if playing for the Lakers gives him the best chance at reaching the mountaintop once again. LeBron and Anthony Davis both stayed healthy and played at an All-NBA level this year, but all they have to show for it is the In-Season Tournament championship and a quick first-round dismissal.

If you thought the West was tough this year, just wait until next season when the Wolves and Thunder mature even more, the Grizzlies get Ja Morant back, the Rockets and Jazz take a step up, and the Warriors retool. Just making the playoffs will be an insane accomplishment. The East is much more winnable, with the Celtics the only team that looks remotely title-worthy at the moment.

There's not a team in the NBA that would refuse LeBron's services if he decided to chase ring number five with them, but let's look at four that are at least semi-realistic from both a roster fit and a "legitimate threat to win the title" standpoint.

4. The Cleveland Cavaliers

Could LeBron return to "The Land" for a third time? Why not? The Cavs have a young and talented roster that could use LeBron's experience and skill set, and the storyline possibilities of pulling the prodigal son act for a second time and delivering another championship could prove irresistible to the perception-obsessed kid from Akron.

NBA insiders believe that Donovan Mitchell could angle his way out of Cleveland after this season, but he's still under contract for next year and has a player option for 2025-26. Knowing that he could team up with LeBron could change his plans.

Cleveland's roster construction is perfect for LeBron. In Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Cavs have two talented perimeter scorers to help lighten LeBron's scoring load, and in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, they have two players in the post that can match up against opposing teams' most physical players. The Cavs also have a lot of outside shooting, which has always been an essential ingredient to any successful LeBron team.

The Cavs had stretches this year where they looked like the second-best team in the East, but they lacked consistency. LeBron's been in the fire before, and he could help them take the next step.

3. The Orlando Magic

Perhaps LeBron could take his talents to Disney World, where the Magic are building a young, hungry team that could use some veteran leadership (and no, Joe Ingles doesn't count). Orlando has centered itself around a defensive identity and the ascension of its 2022 No. 1 pick, Paolo Banchero.

There are parallels between the Magic and the Timberwolves, who are fresh off a sweep of the Phoenix Suns in the first round on the back of former No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards and a stifling, league-best defense. Just as the T-Wolves leveled up to earn the 3-seed in the West this year, Orlando could be ready to make a similar jump up the Eastern Conference leaderboard next year.

LeBron is a perfect fit in Orlando. His defense isn't what it once was (he's 39, so don't take that as a knock), but he can still make the occasional wow play on a chasedown block. Having someone like Jalen Suggs hounding guards on the perimeter and Jonathan Isaac playing behind him to clean things up in the paint will allow LeBron to focus more on the offensive side of the ball, where his passing and driving ability will open up a Magic offense that sometimes stagnates around Banchero.

Being in the East will give LeBron a chance to conserve his energy during the regular season, as the Magic should be able to easily earn a top-four seed without him going all-out every night. This will pay off come playoff time.

2. The Philadelphia 76ers

Down 3-1 to the Knicks, the Sixers are currently in danger of being eliminated themselves, but it's easy to envision a scenario in which LeBron steps in as the piece they've been missing to finally make a championship run.

The Sixers have been Joel Embiid's team since the beginning of the "Trust the Process" era, but while the star big man has put up MVP-quality numbers in the regular season, the playoffs have yielded nothing but heartbreak. LeBron has the championship pedigree and basketball IQ to turn that around, and he'd fit in perfectly on Philly's roster.

Sixers fans are so desperate to ship Tobias Harris out of town that they may include the rights to Bradley Cooper just to make it happen. LeBron could take Harris' spot and instantly transform Nick Nurse's offense into a pick-your-poison nightmare for opponents. Embiid will always command a double-team, but now instead of only having to account for Tyrese Maxey and his dynamic playmaking on the perimeter, you also have one of the greatest players of all time ready to barrel into the lane.

The Sixers are in a weird place right now, with Embiid calling out fans for allowing New Yorkers to drive down I-95 and take over Wells Fargo Arena. Likewise, Sixers fans aren't thrilled with Embiid for never fully maximizing his talent by getting into peak physical condition. Rumors have abounded that Embiid may force his way out of Philly at some point for a fresh start somewhere new.

Bringing LeBron into the fold could solve all of the Sixers' problems. LeBron could hold Embiid to a higher standard, and Embiid, eager to shake off the notion that he can't win the big one, would be motivated by LeBron's arrival to push himself for a title. Even if the partnership only lasted a couple of years, it could be enough to bring Philly its first championship since Dr. J and Moses Malone ran roughshod through the league in 1983.

1. The Dallas Mavericks

The fact that LeBron is still one of the 15 best players in the NBA at 39 is a miracle unto itself. To win another title, though, he's going to need help, and what better place to get that help than in Dallas, where the Mavericks seem to be one player away from being a true title threat? Dallas has one of the top five players in the game in Luka Doncic, and as Kyrie Irving has shown, the team is far from a one-man show.

LeBron has teamed with Kyrie before to win a championship, and reports have indicated that the former Cleveland running mates nearly joined back up in L.A. Whatever issues they had at the end of their time in Cleveland have clearly been squashed.

Beyond Luka and Kyrie, Dallas' roster is mostly composed of role players. It's a testament to their top two stars' greatness that the Mavs were able to go 50-32 this year to earn the No. 5 seed in the West. Just imagine what they could do with LeBron added to the mix.

Both Luka and Kyrie are ball-dominant players, which would allow LeBron to ease into a No. 3 role that would be less taxing on his body but still allow him to make his mark on the game. LeBron's presence and the attention he would need to be paid would make it impossible for teams to gear their entire defense around stopping Luka, and it would simultaneously allow the Slovenian superstar to shoulder a lighter load, keeping him fresher for the playoffs.

Of course, remaining in the West would mean once again facing a three-round gauntlet just to make the Finals. The East offers an easier path, but in LeBron's never-ending quest to catch Michael Jordan, the degree of difficulty matters. Overcoming Jokic, Curry, Edwards, SGA and others to win a championship in Dallas would be a huge feather in LeBron's cap.