Dwyane Wade Laughs At Udonis Haslem Claiming LeBron James Leaving LA Is Less Likely Than Beating an Alligator in a Fight

Speculations have been rife about LeBron James‘ future since the Los Angeles Lakers’ season-ending loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. However, a recent hint from his agent has propelled talks about his exit from LA. While several contenders would line up outside his residence in LA hoping to convince him to sign for them, his former teammate Udonis Haslem believes they’d be wasting their time.

On ESPN’s Get Up, the retired star expressed why LeBron James’ departure from LA is highly unlikely which has left Dwyane Wade in splits. He shared Haslem’s creative response to post about the four-time MVP’s future on his Instagram stories with two crying-with-laughter emojis.

Haslem’s comment was spurred by James’ agent Rich Paul accidentally, or perhaps purposely, revealing that the four-time MVP is a free agent. Technically, he’s still under contract with the Lakers and hasn’t announced his decision to exercise his player option and opt out of the final year of his contract.

It prompted fans to believe that James could find a new team, but Haslem quantified the likelihood of the veteran forward leaving LA by comparing it to a wild hypothetical scenario, saying,

“You got a better chance wrestling an alligator than getting Bron out of L.A. He ain’t going nowhere. He’ll be in the south of France sipping wine while we have these discussions. We write about it and talk about it all the while he’s going back to LA.” 

While Wade approves of Haslem’s hypothetical scenario, it’s unlikely that the retired star’s ironclad belief will end the chatter about his future. On the contrary, once the playoffs wind up and the silly season of trades and free-agency rumors commence, James’ future will likely be debated and discussed more than any other story.

What does the future hold for LeBron James?

LeBron James has been eerily quiet since the Lakers’ exit from the playoffs and the only hint about his plans came from Rich Paul’s comment. Earlier, he was also seen in Cleveland’s home arena attending their playoff game which fueled these rumors further. However, the most reliable reports suggest Haslem is right.

NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that the Lakers plan on giving James everything he desires. They’re reportedly prepared to offer the 39-year-old forward a three-year, $162 million contract extension and spend a draft pick on his son, Bronny James. The veteran forward has a longstanding desire to play alongside his eldest child in the NBA and the franchise is willing to fulfill it if it means they retain his services.

The Lakers, who hold the 17th and 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, will likely use the latter to land Bronny. However, they run the risk of another team taking the guard before they get the chance to, which could lead to James’ exit from the franchise. His future won’t be decided until the draft, giving analysts, journalists, and fans enough time to discuss the topic to death.