The Brooklyn Nets are at least in the conversation if LeBron James truly leaves the Los Angeles Lakers and chooses a new team for the 2026-27 season.
James has informed the Lakers that he will play elsewhere next season after eight years in Los Angeles, and he is apparently open to any of the other 29 teams in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are viewed as the front-runners, but Brooklyn has not been ruled out.
The Nets have already shown a willingness to think big this offseason, and that matters here. They’ve been linked to the idea of making a major move, and they have also registered interest in at least one MVP-caliber player in recent weeks. If Brooklyn were able to land James and add another star, the roster picture could change fast.
There would be a price to pay. The Nets may have to move one of Michael Porter Jr. or Julius Randle to get that second star in place.
But James would bring more than star power. He could help speed up the development of Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traoré with the kind of playmaking that has defined his career.
Even if the Nets are not ready to chase a title immediately, James could still leave a lasting imprint on the franchise. One season of his presence would give Brooklyn’s young players a front-row seat to his work ethic, his attention to detail and the way he handles his body, his craft and the game itself.
It would also give James a chance to play home games in the biggest market in the league, even if it comes with the second-most popular team in New York City. And if that happened, it’s easy to picture fans from all five boroughs and across the tri-state area making the trip to see him wear black and white.
James has informed the Lakers that he will play elsewhere for the 2026-27 season 😳His latest Next Team odds:- Warriors -500- Cavaliers +300- Heat +1000- Spurs +2000- Knicks +3000- Pistons +3000- Mavericks +3000- Bucks +4000- Nets +4000- Wizards +5000- 76ers… pic.twitter.com/4eB0nWX7q4
In Other News...
Rutgers Finally Has The Kind Of Offense Fans Dream About
Rutgers is heading into the 2026 season with an offense that finally looks built around real difference-makers, and the proof starts with Antwan Raymond and KJ Duff. Raymond, a junior running back, won the Jon Cornish Trophy and followed a breakout 2025 with Second-Team All-Big Ten recognition, while Duff earned the same conference honor after emerging as one of the Big Tens most reliable passing-game threats. Both players have also started drawing national attention, including spots on CBS Sports list of top offensive weapons for next season and inclusion in EA Sports College Football 27.
Duffs rise has been especially important for an offense that has long searched for a consistent identity through the air, and his production last fall gave Rutgers a true featured target. Raymond brings the kind of balance that makes everything else easier, with the ability to carry the backfield and punish defenses that overplay the pass. For a program trying to turn promise into something more permanent, having both players back gives Rutgers a foundation it has not always had, even if the bigger question is how far that foundation can carry them once the games start counting again. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Schiano Still Holds Real Weight In The Big Ten Coaching Ranks
Greg Schianos name still carries plenty of weight in Big Ten circles, and a recent ranking of conference coaches by career victories is a reminder of why. The Rutgers coach checks in with 99 wins, a total that puts him in familiar company among the leagues longest-serving and most accomplished sideline leaders, with Kirk Ferentz sitting at the top of the list.
For Rutgers, the number matters less as a snapshot of Schianos past than as a sign of how long he has mattered in this league. He is still positioned ahead of several newer high-profile names, including Ryan Day, Curt Cignetti and Dan Lanning, which says something about the longevity and reputation he has built even as the Big Tens coaching landscape keeps changing around him. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Fans Wont Like Where Steve Pikiell Now Stands In Big Ten Views
Steve Pikiell is heading into his 11th season at Rutgers with the program at a crossroads, and the latest Big Ten coaching rankings are not doing the Scarlet Knights any favors. The College Basketball Report placed Pikiell 15th in the league for the 2026-27 season, a blunt snapshot that reflects where Rutgers stands after back-to-back losing years and a stretch that has left the fan base wanting more.
There are reasons for cautious optimism in Piscataway, starting with the school meeting its NIL fundraising goals for the upcoming cycle, which should help the staff in recruiting and transfer work. But with the roster in the middle of a reset and Robert Sullivan now helping Pikiell build a younger group, the pressure is on to show that Rutgers can climb back into the middle of the Big Ten conversation rather than remain stuck near the bottom of it. [Read more 🡒]