LeBron James just lately exercised the $52M player option on his contract. He’ll return to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025-26 season. But, for the primary time in his illustrious profession, James goes right into a season the place he isn’t the marquee identify on the roster.
The Lakers are firmly within the Luka Doncic period. GM Rob Pelinka has began the summer season by reducing the common age of the roster. Permitting Dorian Finney-Smith to depart the franchise and changing him with Jake LaRavia is the right instance. Due to this fact, James, who turns 41 in December, would not match with what the franchise is attempting to do.
For the primary time in historical past, James might discover himself being dangled in commerce talks.
“First off, LeBron needs to be a Laker. If he did not need to be a Laker, he opted out. He has a no-trade clause,” Brian Windhorst said on a July 2 episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today”. “… My conversations over the past three days have crystallized that the Lakers are basically viewing LeBron as an expiring contract. … By no means in his 23-year profession, over the 9 contracts he is signed, over all of the totally different groups he is been on, he is by no means been on the final 12 months of his contract. He is by no means been 40 years previous. He is by no means not been the franchise participant on his group. … And what occurs to expiring contracts within the NBA? They’re considered as commerce items.”
