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As the world continues to wait for LeBron James to make his latest decision, there's one often overlooked possibility that remains just as likely as any other.
Whichever NBA team James joins for the upcoming 2026-27 season may not actually be the final destination of his career. Because on the heels of James alluding to playing multiple years at the recent Fantatics Fest, ESPN radio host Evan Cohen dropped a bomb on "First Take" that could lead to another offseason spent waiting for James to pick a new team.
Is it possible LeBron James' next team won't be his last?
Cohen is predicting that James will return to Miami to play alongside Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Heat. However, he will do so for a couple of years before then spending one final season back home in Cleveland with the Cavaliers.
Part of Cohen's thinking has to do with believing the Heat would provide James the best basketball opportunity, both in fit and style of play, right now. The other aspect is that extending his career will allow his son, Bronny James, to further his own career and eventually earn a multiyear contract.
When explaining why the Heat's social media faux pas is something, because it reiterates that "they're the most prepared team in the NBA," Cohen argued why James is leaning toward Miami, where he once went to four straight NBA Finals and won two titles.
"LeBron James in his 40s, is a grown man. He doesn't want to go into a childlike organization."
LeBron James could take another detour before wrapping up his career back home in Cleveland
In Cohen's theory, James' body and mindset will keep him invested in playing several more years; he knows the Heat may need another offseason to fully structure the team to compete for a championship, and he does want to finish in Cleveland, just not yet.
"He has never said 'I want to leave on a high note.' He has not said that. He has also not said this is his last year. In fact, he has alluded to more than one year, which I would then argue that doesn't mean one team," said Cohen.
While that scenario would be interesting, it's just one theory in a sea of many circulating. And with most insiders continuously claiming they don't know what James is going to do, we are all just left waiting to find out. And based on James' track record with decisions, it's also very likely we won't know if his next team will be his last team until he's ready to officially retire or what his plans are until they happen.
James' most recent production with the Los Angeles Lakers — he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and shot 51.5 percent from the field in 60 games during 2025-26 — lends credence to any argument that his NBA record for total number of seasons played keeps on increasing by beyond just one more.
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