LeBron James‘ decision to remain with the Lakers was expected, but the announcement that accompanied it has raised eyebrows around the league. James confirmed on Sunday that he’s picking up $52.6MM option to play a record-setting 23rd NBA season. The news came with a statement from agent Rich Paul indicating that James will be monitoring the team’s offseason moves to determine if it can be a title contender.
On this morning’s Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Paul gave advance notice about the statement to the Lakers and to Luka Doncic and his representatives. However, the rest of the league was caught off guard by what could be a veiled threat that James will ask for a trade if he’s not confident in the team’s direction.
“When this statement came out, I began to call teams,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “And I don’t want to get into the who and what and who I talked to, but let’s just say I identified the handful of teams that I could see LeBron trying to be traded to. I’m not going to talk about which teams I talked to, but I did not find a team who was prepared for this. In other words, all of them that I talked to, I didn’t talk to 29 teams, I talked to a handful of teams and they were all caught flat-footed by this.”
Windhorst cites the Cavaliers as an example. There’s been speculation for years that James might want to finish his career close to home and return to the franchise that he led to its only NBA title in 2016. However, Cleveland agreed to trade for Lonzo Ball on Saturday and reached a new four-year contract with Sam Merrill. As Windhorst points out, those moves don’t indicate that the Cavs have any plans to bring back James.
The mechanics of a James deal would be complex due to his no-trade clause and his salary, even in the offseason when teams have more financial flexibility. Windhorst doesn’t believe the uproar over Paul’s statement will ultimately lead to a trade.
“There’s a few players in the league you can trade LeBron for in a one-on-one scenario,” he adds, “and I’ve talked to some of those agents and they in some cases talked to the teams of their players’ teams and I’ve found nothing indicating there was anything afoot here. In terms of a transaction, in terms of a trade.”
At age 40, James doesn’t have the influence that he once did, so the Lakers responded to Sunday’s declaration with the “equivalent of a shrug emoji,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Even if it signifies that this will be James’ final season in L.A. — whether he retires or not — Amick believes the organization is more focused on keeping Luka Doncic happy.
Amick adds that Doncic is expected to sign a long-term extension when he becomes eligible on August 2, whereas the Lakers seem warier about continuing to a commit a max-level salary to James beyond the coming season.
Team sources tell Amick that James and the front office didn’t discuss any deals that would have locked him up beyond 2025/26. He adds that LeBron and his representatives made it clear months ago that he wouldn’t accept a discount just to stay in L.A.
Because James signed his current contract in July 2024, he won’t become extension-eligible before he reaches free agency in 2026.
Amick states that the Lakers need to be focused on their future, which means building the team around Doncic. Amick believes L.A. is monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo to see if he eventually asks the Bucks for a trade and notes that Nuggets executive Josh Kroenke recently considered the possibility that he might one day have to part with Nikola Jokic, though Kroenke was referencing a hypothetical “nightmare scenario.”
Austin Reaves, who recently declined a four-year, $89MM extension offer in hopes of landing a larger contract next year, appears to be another key part of the Lakers’ future, so the team will have to prepare to give him a significant raise starting next season, Amick notes.
Most Laker fans are tired of the LeBron drama. Lakers should just trade him away. Announce they will not extend LeBron at all.
It’s a player option with a no trade clause. He holds all the cards
He already opt in so now his only cards he holds is the no trade clause. Lakers needs to cut the cord and do his farwell tour this year.
unfortunately its not the Lakers choice and the Lakers need to trade him to get that value back. I believe they are over the cap by a lot.
Who’d want him at over 50 million?
There is a few teams looking for that missing piece to a championship season.
Is this based on a poll? 🤔
Trade LBJ for Dame, unprotected 31st. They go out win a chip, and Giannis leaves and signs with the Lakers. lol
I know James has a no-trade contract for this season coming, also this is the first season out of 8 that Lebron has taken a opt in on an existing contract. The other 7 he opted into Free Agency. With that be said I was thinking outside of the box that with his Agent putting out a statement could it mean that James would be acceptable to a possible waving of his no trade clause and except to a team that has a stronger chance of a championship. So here is my outside of the box trade:
ATL gets Rui Hachimura
DEN gets Lebron James and Bronny James
LAKERS get Michael Porter Jr., Dario Saric, Zeke Nnaji, Hunter Tyson and an unprotected 2031 first round pick (by Denver)
can Lebron be the #2 guy in Denver? My guess is he wants to go to the Knicks so he can be talk of the town in a big city.
Can the Knicks be the championship team that LBJ sees as the most important thing now. James wants to go out as a champion before he ends his career as a player, does he see the Lakers right now as a legit championship team. Then the Lakers thinking he is a #2 player with Luka as the future. Right now I see the Rockets as the number 2 team that can challenge for a title with Durant there, the highest East team is maybe Cleveland than the Knicks and that is 5 or 6 behind OKC, Hou, Den, and maybe Dal than Minn before I even look at the East for a title.
How tough the west will be next year and the lakers are not a top 4 team in the west. Those top 3 teams in teh west with spurs, rockets and OKC is going to be tough to beat without injuries to those teams. Now add in all the other west teams only Utah is not a play in team. So the 5th and 6th spot will be a shoot out on who can stay healthy and well coached. Now look at teh east only 2 top teams and a bunch of contenders that are evenly matched. So LeBron might be thinking of going to Knicks or Cavs for a sure bet in the playoffs.
LeBron probably wants to force a trade to Cleveland one more time I think lbj and Bonny for garland and Jarrett Allen works but there will probably be a 3rd team involved
Why would Cleveland do that? Just because Le Bron wants it, it doesn’t make them better.
Cleveland is looking at moving Allen since mobley has became one of the best centers and they don’t want to pay for 2 expensive ones
Losing garland isnt ideal but atkinson’s system can play with any guards, look at Ty Jerome
LeBron and Donovan Mitchell would be really fun too
Lakers should trade LeBron and his son.
You have Luka, Reaves
I think Spurs would be an interesting destination
Vassel, Barnes, and Sochan work money wise.
But I think the Spurs need to expedite their timeline a little faster.
Wemby, Fox, LeBron make the Spurs more formidable in the west esp after drafting Harper and Castle last year.
Free agent wise Lakers should target
Tyus Jones for PG
Precious Achiuwa to replace Finney Smith
Bring in Trent Jr
Bring in Ayton and Mo Wagner back
Pg: Luka, Jones
Sg: Reaves Trent Jr
Sf: Vassel, Barnes
Pf: Achiuwa, Sochan
C: Ayton, Wagner
All that can’t be done under LA’s cap.
I doubt Achiuwa Ayton Wagner Jones Trent Jr are gonna command huge salaries. They’re definitely bargain shopping items
As a player, Lebron is amazing. The guy does everything on the floor and I respect how he plays.
As a person, he seems like a great father and husband. However, I will hold out all of my praise until the details of his involvement with Diddys parties and the horror show that was.
But I cannot stand his BS with his contract and his empowerment to do whatever the eff he wants.
DUMP his ass now. Lakers will be better off without him and Rich Paul’s drama.
Everything Rich Paul does is shady. Maybe he can get AD’s Dad to help him get to GSW.
Team USA is 2-0 with Ws against Australia & France in the 1st 2 games at the FIBA U19 World Cup. AJ Dybantsa is the best player in this class & the best player in this tournament but Mikel Brown Jr looks like a legit competitor for the #1 pick in next yrs NBA draft. His game is so smooth & refined for his age. He’s also an incredible shooter & decision maker & he has great size for a pg. Mikel outplayed Dash Daniels (Dyson’s brother) & led his team to a big W on Saturday but yesterday vs France he was even better & controlled the game from tip to final buzzer. He’s the best guy Louisville has had since Spida & I could see a team choosing him over AJ in the right situation.
Beyond that, let’s all agree that the people constantly hating on AAU basketball never/rarely ever watch AAU/youth basketball & are the same group of losers that only watch the NBA to hate on talented, Black guys. This team of AAU all-stars just ran thru 2 of the best teams in the world & have dominated the sport globally for the past 20yrs… link to m.youtube.com
love these recaps – do you know why cenac got cut from this team? i thought for sure he’d be their starting 5, then he didn’t even make final roster.
The 2 bigs that they brought are both also the oldest guys on the team & the only 2 guys that played college ball last yr. I figure that edge in experience might be what separated them. They definitely should’ve picked Cenac tho. Morez Johnson Jr is the starting 5 for them & he’s basically been serviceable so far.
got it, thank you!
And this relates to Le Bron and the Lakers how?
Cleveland is through with LeBron. Last year big money too. He can go to Cleveland on the minny next year but they would be stupid to bring the drama ge brings. I hope Bronnt makes a jump th I see year in play.
Hope they sit this bum when he asks for a trade then let him rot on the bench for the rest of the season. If you want to leave the Lakers, then maybe you shouldn’t have picked up your option. This diva is getting too much. Def one of the best players of all time, but his frequent whining is also HOF-worthy.
Can the Lakers cut & stretch him? Then he could take his money & his drama wherever he wants.
Even for Windhorst, that was some pretty impressive word salad
I think there’s very little chance that LeBron forces a trade to Cleveland. I mean think about it. He spurned them twice to go to Miami and Los Angeles. They are not going to blow up their team to get him. They don’t really have the draft capital to get him. Cleveland is in a good spot just as they are. Do not do it Dan Gilbert. Cleveland is good enough to win right now just the way they are. The team will be gutted and he will demand the Cavs get whoever putting them in the same position as the Lakers who he destroyed for the next several years.
Maybe the Lakers should just release him.
I think the Lakers could release & stretch him, so the Cavs get him cheap, with the understanding that at the same time they trade Hachimura for Allen and Bronny for Porter
I think everyone is looking at this wrong. Lebron isn’t trying to force his way out of LA. I think it’s highly more likely that he retires after this year
The Luka trade really ended the era of “building around LeBron” as the top LAL mandate. LeBron probably knew it then, but, if not, he knows it now. I hear his statement as saying that he understands the roster will be modified this off season based on the team’s broader purposes, but that he’s still the one that will look at it at the end of the off season and decide if it still suits his.