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NBA fans reacted accordingly after one team appeared to leak where LeBron James will be going next season.
James, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, is yet to announce where he will play in the 2026-27 campaign, which will mark his record-setting 24th NBA season. The 41-year-old’s decision has been drawn out for weeks, much to the annoyance of fans, media, and even the NBA’s schedule-makers.
Several teams are considered to be in the running to land James, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and Philadelphia 76ers. Each franchise has their own unique selling point and, at different times, been rated as a frontrunner to sign him.
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On Tuesday night, the biggest hint yet dropped for where James might pick thanks to a blunder made by one franchise’s social media team.
The Heat’s official YouTube channel posted a video titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference | July 27, 2026” which linked to an offline livestream. It was quickly deleted. A team spokesperson later told The Miami Herald that the link was “mistakenly made public” and “there is currently no validity to the video.”
As expected, NBA fans were sent into a frenzy and the odds for James’ next team swung dramatically.
The Heat are now clear favorites to sign James in the aftermath of the YouTube post, according to probabilities listed on prediction market platform Kalshi.
Miami currently owns a 50 percent of landing him this offseason, ahead of the Cavaliers (29 percent), Warriors (13 percent), and 76ers (10 percent).
For most of the month of July, Cleveland was considered the clear favorite between 40 and 60 percent, but its percentage dropped gradually in the leadup to Tuesday night, when the blunder was made. Golden State was also briefly the favorite at 33 percent on July 17.
While the decision does not appear to be final, many believe that James will be headed back to Miami, where he spent four seasons and won two NBA titles between 2010 and 2014.
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The Heat already traded for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, so signing James would make them an even more imposing presence in the Eastern Conference picture.
There has been a tremendous amount of betting interest in what James’ decision will be. More than $199 million has been traded on the Kalshi market for James’ next team, making it one of the most popular sports offerings in the history of the platform.
James recently departed the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years with the franchise, becoming an unrestricted free agent for the first time since 2018.
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