Despite rampant speculation about LeBron James‘ future with the Lakers, it’s expected that he will be with the organization for training camp, Dan Woike and Joe Vardon of The Athletic report.
Those expectations come from both members of the Lakers organization and people close to the 40-year-old superstar. There have been no discussions regarding trade or buyout scenarios between James’ representatives and the team’s front office, according to The Athletic duo.
This essentially confirms an ESPN report that his agent, Rich Paul, hasn’t asked the Lakers to trade James following his decision to exercise a $52.6MM player option for next season. The Athletic’s sources hear the Lakers have received no indication from James or his representatives that he would request a trade or ask for a buyout.
Even if he eventually does seek to leave the Lakers, there are major roadblocks toward reaching that goal.
While a third stint with his hometown Cavaliers has frequently been mentioned as a logical landing spot, Woike and Vardon point out that the only realistic way for that to happen is a buyout prior to training camp — the Lakers, who have championship aspirations, have no incentive to take that route.
Cleveland is operating over the second apron and cannot aggregate salaries, which would make a James trade virtually impossible without significant cost-cutting. Second-apron restrictions would also prohibit the Cavs from signing LeBron if he’s bought out after the regular season begins.
The Warriors and Knicks have also been speculated as teams who might go all-in for a player nearing retirement in order to win next year’s championship. However, trading away James for a high-salary player such as Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whom are signed for at least the next two seasons, would wreck the Lakers’ plans to have salary cap flexibility next summer.
The Mavericks, who have also been thrown into the rumor mill regarding James, don’t have interest in gutting their roster to match his salary in a trade, The Athletic duo adds. It’s also noteworthy that LeBron has a full no-trade clause in his contract, so the Lakers can’t deal him unless he signs off on the transaction.
Same story, different gift wrap.
It’s not even a story, it is a media made fairytale.
just click bait articles. They just want to make up stories.
Sure…….and this is the thing that LeBron craves. He wants the attention and to be discussed ad infinitum in the media. If he didn’t want to be a distraction to his team, he could very easily go on any media outlet or his podcast and state that he is not going anywhere and that he’s retiring as a Laker.
But we all know he won’t do that.
Really bad take
He’s already made that pretty clear. But as we all know, people and especially the media love to speculate. When asked about it on his 40th birthday, James said:
“I think that’s the plan,” he said. “I’d love to finish my career here — that’s always been the goal. I came here to play the final stage of my career and to end it here. But I’m not naïve or too jaded to understand the business side of basketball. Still, I think my relationship with this organization speaks for itself. Hopefully, I won’t have to go anywhere else before my career is over.”
I think that’s the plan…..I’d love to finish my career here…..hopefully I won’t have to go anywhere else before my career is over.
None of these statements are clear cut. There’s always enough ambiguity in his statements that it leaves enough wiggle room for media to read into what his real intentions are.
Does anyone really believe that the Lakers are going to trade or force a buyout with LeBron if that’s not what he wants??? Like he’s got no say or control on where he ends his career.
That man doesn’t owe you a damn thing. If you crave a definitive answer, get your media credentials and go get the info you need.
Did I say he owed me a damn answer??? All I said is this is the type of attention that LeBron craves. He always wants to have the media attention regardless of the impact to the organization.
Here is what is what I think is the Lakers plan for 2026 off season. The Lakers are going to have $90 million cap space. $102 if they trade Vando, which they should.
Austin Reaves will opt out his option, but not resign straight away. The same with Ayton. The Lakers will use that cap space to sign 3-5 high value players, including Ayton and possibly Beal if they get him this year.
Then they will sign Reaves and LeBron, if he still wants to play, which will put them over the 2nd Apron which the new ownership will pay the tax for.
You are forgetting about cap holds. In order to get all that cap space, they would have to renounce all their free agents. Otherwise every team would have tons of cap space every year. LeBron has a $60 million cap hold for next season. They would need to renounce his cap hold to do this. So unless LeBron is okay with signing for the Room Exception, this doesn’t work. I do think you are on the right track, where they will use their cap space to sign/trade for another superstar, however, that won’t be LeBron. He will be off to Cleveland or wherever.
A team can renounce the cap hold, without fully renouncing the player. Reaves and Bron will be free agents; however, the Lakers will still hold their bird rights.
For example, Miami did this in 2010 when they renounced Wade’s cap hold, signed LeBron and Bosh, then re-signed Wade.
In 2022 Harden declined his player option and the Sixers signed new players under the cap and then re-signed Harden.
In 2021 the Suns did it with Chris Paul. Mavs did it ever Tim Hardaway Jr. in 2021. So did the Bulls with LaVine; they signed Caruso under cap then re-signed LaVine.
Once you renounce the cap hold, you also lose Bird Rights.
If you renounce a cap hold, you lose bird rights. That’s just a fact. All those teams had cap space at the time, and all those guys’ cap cap holds were all factored into how much cap space they had. They could renounce LeBron and then use cap space to re-sign him, but once they get to their cap limit, they can’t use bird rights to re sign him. The Heatles all signed for similar money under the cap. Chris Paul and THJ were acquired via trade.
THJ was on Mavs roster in 2020.
If they aren’t able to temp renounce cap holds then they will re-sign Reaves for $25M (that will give him average of $30M he wants over 5 years), re-sign Ayton for $20-25M IF he performs well this year, re-sign Beal for $20M if he performs well this year (if Lakers get him, which I think they will cause they will be the only ones with cap room in 2026) and they still will have $20-37M more cap room. LeBron can either take that or he can go to a contender for the non tax mid level. Honestly, I would prefer they use that extra room on someone like Dorz, who the thunder won’t be able to afford, or Bridges from the Knicks who will be a free agent for in 2027 (if knocks don’t extend him).
If Giannis or Joker become available in 2027 they will have good players to trade, plus 3 first rounds draft picks (2026 sign and trade, 2031 and 2033), plus pick swaps.
Beal is signing with Clippers?
In 2022 Harden declined his player option. The Sixers negotiated with other players on the assumed cap space, but could not sign them until Harden signed his reduced contract or if his cap hold was renounced. Procedural moves do not follow the same timeline as announcements. You can’t double dip cap holds and bird rights.
Nah, trade Lebron and Reaves for Jimmy and Buddy.
JK and Buddy and whatever can be generated by involving additional teams…
So basically nothing new for the last few months. Can yall just stfu about that old man already dang
The day LeBron is gone from the NBA is when the league will be back. Why the Lord the media lives him is beyond us all.
LeBron being gone will bring more attention to the NBA? What are you smoking?
He’s a very polarizing figure, there’s a lot of people (I’m not one, especially those on side of the political spectrum) who have turned it off due partly to LeBron.
One side*
If people are turning off the NBA due to something LeBron said about shutup and dribble, those people weren’t watching the games in the first place
Nobody stop watching any sport because of politics. Liek when Kap took a knee a bunch of people said they would never watch but ratings went way up.
If by way up you mean down 8% after he knelt, then down another 10% the following year then sure.
then it went back up. Did it make it less popular? No. last year’s super bowl had the highest ratings ever. Even the draft day had high ratings and Thanksgiving day games highest ever last year. Only people care are the ones in a political cult.
The ratings went down, temporarily, in the big West Coast cities and NY. Now it’s biz as usual. Kape wanted to be a “Cause” and got his wish. Ozzie Newsome had a contract agreement for Kape, and on the flight after that meeting/agreement his companion took to social media and referred to ownership as “Plantation owner…” and Ozzie as an “Uncle ***.” The offer was withdrawn only because the Ravens didn’t think Kape viewed playing/winning as his highest priority…
Kap never wanted to be a cause it was teh media that made him one. This is about boycotting a sport not about Kap who is an example of fake outrage. People claim to boycott things but don’t. Even target and walmart is an example of that.
If you suddenly want to punish people for being exceptional lets put heavier taxes on billionaires. Or wait is it only if they’re black? Hard to keep the rantings straight these days…
“who have turned it off due partly to LeBron.”
Literally no one has done this. Polarizing figures bring *more* viewers, not fewer. The entire professional wrestling industry is based on this principle.
I mean, he’s right. But ncs the best player the nba has ever had, the biggest drawing card the league has had, is gone, the better off we…sorry, I can’t even gaje my way through that.
There will only be another heir to the “King’s” throne. The NBA is always about the one or two stars. Jordan, Kobe, Kareem, etc.
Bad take
Because he am all time great that’s conducted himself admirably for 22 seasons??
Porzingis, Kennard & Bufkin to LAL for Bron & Bronny
The Jameseses have to go together? Yeah, they probably do.
LeBron will only go to Cleveland and maybe New York or golden state but I think he’s going to retire as a laker unless the lakers look horrible at the trade deadline
This will be lebrons last year in the league I can’t see him do another year with the lakers or with a new team
As the salaries for the top players get larger and larger, it becomes more likely that a player will become stuck on a team, because other teams simply cannot aggregate enough salaries to match that player. So the Mavericks would have to include Klay, PJ, Naji Marshall, and Gafford, and Jaden Hardy just to get close, and the salaries still don’t match.
Stretching and waiving will start to become the new normal when a team gets stuck in the second apron. Especially when guys like D Book will be making $75 mil/yr at age 31. The MLE will probably only be around $20 mil by that time. So teams would have to send out their entire rotation just to match an old superstar, which makes no sense with team building. Meaning that player will be stuck, trade demand or not.
@tonyinsingapore oh look its a story that backs my “Jimmy for Bron” trade idea that you attempted and failed to call me out over. Where are your trade ideas, btw?
What’s that? I stated JK, Buddy and additional teams to get LeBron to GS… They won’t want to vie up Butler…
James and Reaves for Butler and Hield, get this over with!!
Butler for Bron comments AGAIN? *FACEPALM*
Most underwhelming superstar experience of all time. Winning a championship 1x every 15 years is cool for Cleveland but in LA they need to come in bundles, been exhausted of the LeBron tenure for years now
Keep in mind where the Lakers were the 5 years prior. I don’t think you can lay blame at him for not winning more. it’s not like he came up sport performance wise like vs Mavs.
Playing with a top 5 player and another 20 point scorer in Reaves isn’t enough help?
I’ve never seen another superstar need so much help just to get out of the first round.
That’s like Jordan complaining about Pippen and Rodman and forcing his way out of Chicago because he doesn’t have enough help to win.
Jordan didn’t need anymore help, he got all his help from David Stern.
What owner/GM/ coach want that circus on their teams?
LeBron created this situation himself, with his behavior following the LAL FO decisions this off season. Moreover, it was likely intentional. I think he wanted the media to believe it was a possibility that he may ask for a trade or buyout, and put it out there for public consumption. Also, likely wanted the discussion that’s occurring in this thread. He’s used to being the center of attention, and likes it. Now that he can no longer be that (or at least hasn’t been that) on the court, he’ll settle for being it in the NBA soap opera.
Exactly , and we would ask why but it’s probably not worth the time waiting around for the answer
The way the nba does contracts now you can’t really blame LeBron for the media coverage. Guys on expiring contracts are expected to sign an extension or be traded before the end of the season. This is a trade rumors site, not a news organization, and Lebron just became the highest profile trade target. Not a huge Lebron fan but he’s handled this situation better than a lot of other stars recently.
Where is he taking his talents?
This calls for another 7+ team trade with LeBron ending up with the W’s. If the Warriors Light Years strategy of lapping the league in salary hadn’t triggered the new Aprons this would already be a done deal. Hear me now and believe me later, LaBron to the Dubs…
JK, Buddy and additional Teams to smooth it out…
Got to make the Lakers relevant some how. Clippers have made better moves. Golden State holding steady. OKC still the best team in the West with Houston making big leaps.
Any team that would buy out a player after he just opts into a 53 million option to save Pennie’s what they would owe him is ridiculous. If he wanted out don’t sign the damn contract. No way they are idiotic enough to do so