Fans have staked an obscene $70 million on which team LeBron James will play for next season

Fans have staked an obscene $70 million on which team LeBron James will play for next season

No one gets the NBA buzzing like LeBron James.

Since James announced he would not return to the Lakers next season and instead test free agency in search of a new team, the internet has latched onto every crumb of information, looking for clues on his decision.

Bettors have put massive amounts of money toward this effort, and the payoff could be huge for the folks who guess right.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Kalshi has executed more than $70 million in trades on James’ next-team market. By comparison, a combined $16.6 million was traded on the Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo markets.

James’ market at Kalshi could generate even more money before the NBA’s leading scorer chooses a team as it has been reported that he will take his time to decide where to play next season.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Monday that the Warriors, Cavaliers, Heat, Sixers, and Wolves were among the handful of teams that James is considering.

Traders at Kalshi are buying heavily into a potential Cleveland reunion. The Cavaliers have a 54 percent chance to land James, according to traders at Kalshi. The number has risen steadily over the past week from 32 percent on July 1.

LeBron James had previously flirted with the Knicks but the Cavs are now favored. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

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James played 11 years with the Cavaliers, won the franchise its only championship in 2016 and has openly flirted with a return to Cleveland over his eight years in Los Angeles.

The Warriors have garnered 20 percent of the trades at Kalshi with the Heat getting 16 percent. The 76ers and Wolves are both at four percent.


Why Trust New York Post Betting

Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.

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