LeBron James

Lakers’ LeBron James Opting In For 2025/26

June 29th, 2025 at 10:17am CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers superstar forward LeBron James is picking up his $52.6MM player option for the 2025/26 season, his longtime agent Rich Paul tells Shams Charania of ESPN.

According to Charania, James will be closely monitoring the Lakers’ moves this summer in the hopes of vying for a title next season.

“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with [governor] Jeanie [Buss] and [president of basketball operations] Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.

“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

James continued to produce at an unprecedented level for a player of his age after turning 40 last December. He was a second-team All-NBA selection, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 70 games. He also earned All-Star honors for the 21st straight season.

James’ season ended in disappointing fashion as the Lakers were ousted by Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs and he suffered an MCL sprain late in the final game. He recently said the injury is healing and he expects to be ready for training camp.

Picking up the option and ensuring that he’ll be a free agent in 2026 is a change in strategy for James, who typically renegotiates to make sure he has another option season left on his contract. He’ll set a record by playing in his 23rd NBA season, but a report on Saturday stated that he has considered retirement every summer since 2023.

Notably, given Paul’s statement above, exercising that player option instead of signing a new deal means James will remain trade-eligible throughout the offseason. He’s one of just two NBA players with a formal no-trade clause in his contract.

Among the moves James will be watching is whether the Lakers can upgrade at center, either through free agency or trades. They were weak at the position after parting with Anthony Davis in the Luka Doncic deal and often played without a big man on the court in the postseason.

If Dorian Finney-Smith – who also holds a player option – returns, the Lakers will likely have the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception available to spend in free agency. If Finney-Smith opts out and signs with a new team or if the Lakers shed salary elsewhere on the roster, they could open up the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

Lakers Rumors: LeBron, Finney-Smith, Reaves, Luka, Centers

June 28th, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With one day until LeBron James must make a decision on his $52.6MM player option for the 2025/26 season, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin is hearing the same thing his colleague Shams Charania was a month ago: James is expected to exercise that option to play out the final year of his current contract.

James has considered retirement every offseason since 2023, according to McMenamin, but it sounds like he’s committed to playing a record-setting 23rd NBA season in ’25/26. A source familiar with LeBron’s thinking also tells ESPN that he’s not entering next season with “any certainty that it will be his last.”

The other Lakers forward with a player option decision to make, Dorian Finney-Smith, is interested in returning to Los Angeles, a source tells ESPN. However, it sounds like he’ll also have interest in adding multiple years to his current contract, either via opting in and extending or by opting out to sign a new contract. If the only way for him to stay with the Lakers is by picking up his option with no guarantee of an extension, he may test the open market, McMenamin explains.

As McMenamin writes, head coach J.J. Redick trusts Finney-Smith, who was popular in the Lakers’ locker room, so I’d expect the team to try to lock him up. But if he does walk, it would at least open up the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, giving L.A. more options to replace him in free agency, McMenamin notes. The club projects to just have the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception available if James and Finney-Smith return on their option salaries.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

The Lakers understood that Austin Reaves would turn down the four-year, $89MM extension offer they put on the table for him, but the team didn’t want to send the wrong signal by not offering it, says McMenamin. According to his sources, the two sides remain motivated to work out a new deal next summer, when Reaves will have the ability to opt out of his current contract.
A source close to Luka Doncic tells ESPN that Mark Walter‘s agreement to buy a majority stake in the Lakers was viewed as a positive development from the star guard’s perspective. “You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself,” the source said to McMenamin. “And his track record speaks for itself. … (Doncic) wants to win. This owner’s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.”
McMenamin confirms a couple more Luka-related notes, citing sources who say the former Mavericks star remains motivated by how he was treated on his way out of Dallas, and committed to a training and nutrition program this offseason; and writing that Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean will be a part of the Slovenian national team’s coaching staff this summer as Doncic represents his home country in the EuroBasket tournament. The former was initially reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic, while the latter was first reported by Andrej Miljković of Ekipa24.
Addressing the Lakers’ hunt for a center, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said during a Thursday night press conference that the team has been “super active” and will “turn over every stone” as it seeks a solution, tweets Woike. Nic Claxton of the Nets and Robert Williams of the Trail Blazers are among the possible trade targets the Lakers have “mulled internally” since last season, according to McMenamin, who also mentions several other previously reported names.

L.A. Notes: Doncic, LeBron, Harden, Clippers, Draft

June 25th, 2025 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

After facing criticism on his way out of Dallas for his work ethic and conditioning, Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been “incredibly committed” to his conditioning since the team’s season ended, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Woike that Doncic has lost weight and is working on “strict diet and cardio training.” The 26-year-old deviated from his usual offseason routine by spending a month away from on-court activities in order to focus on his body, Woike adds.

As he prepares for his first full season in Los Angeles, Doncic will become eligible later this summer to sign a contract extension that could be worth up to nearly $229MM over four seasons.

We have more on the NBA’s two L.A.-based teams:

Lakers star LeBron James, who sustained an MCL sprain in the last game of the season, stated on Instagram earlier this week that he has resumed on-court work, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays (via Twitter). James has a decision due by Sunday on his $52.6MM player option for 2025/26.
Clippers guard James Harden is being accused of negligence in a civil complaint that includes allegations of sexual assault against his nephew, per Zach Powell of The Athletic. The plaintiff alleges that Harden’s nephew, Justice Armani Blackburn, raped her at a New Year’s party at Harden’s home in Houston. The claim of negligence against Harden is related to the conduct of his in-home security staff, Powell explains, with the lawsuit stating that the 35-year-old is “vicariously liable for the actions of his guards and their corporate employer.”
Janis Carr of The Orange County Register examines some possible draft targets for the Clippers, including Drake Powell, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Noah Penda at No. 30 and Viktor Lakhin at No. 51.
Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times previews draft night for both the Lakers and Clippers, but notes that the brunt of the offseason work for the two L.A. teams will likely come later, with LeBron, Harden, and several other veterans up for new contracts.

Thunder Win First Championship Since Move; SGA Named Finals MVP

June 22nd, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Thunder claimed their first NBA championship since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City, as they defeated the depleted Pacers, 103-91, in Game 7 on Sunday.

Seattle, which won the championship in 1979, relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. The Pacers, who have never won an NBA title, played the last three quarters without Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered an Achilles injury in the first quarter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this season’s Most Valuable Player, also earned Finals MVP honors, the league announced (via Twitter). It’s the 16th time a player has won both in the same year, though it hasn’t happened since LeBron James pulled it off during the 2012/13 season.

The Thunder should be major contenders for years to come with their young core, featuring Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. The top priorities for the Thunder this offseason center around extensions.

Gilgeous-Alexander has met the performance criteria for a super-max contract and will become eligible to sign that extension next month. The 2024 MVP runner-up still has two years left on his current deal and can’t exceed six years in total, so the maximum value of his extension would be a projected $293.4MM over four years, beginning in 2027/28.

Williams and Holmgren are eligible for rookie scale extensions until the beginning of next seasons and both could receive the max – five years and a projected $246MM. The maximum value of those extensions could increase to a projected $296MM if All-NBA, MVP or Defensive Player of the Year honors are negotiated into the contracts.

The Pacers’ offseason outlook could change dramatically due to Haliburton’s injury. Myles Turner, their starting center, is headed to unrestricted free agency and while the Pacers reportedly want to re-sign him, they could have plenty of competition. Bennedict Mathurin is eligible for a rookie scale extension.

Several other key players, including Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, are signed through at least the 2027/28 season. Could they look to shed salary in light of Haliburton’s injury?

With the NBA Finals decided, the 2025 NBA offseason is officially underway. For the second straight year, teams will be permitted to negotiate contracts with their own free agents one day after the Finals. Players who won’t be free agents this offseason but who will become eligible to sign contract extensions on July 6 will also be permitted to begin negotiations with their current teams on Monday.

Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if some agreements are reported this week. Free agent contracts still can’t be officially finalized until after the July moratorium lifts on July 6.

The draft will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, with free agency beginning on June 30 at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

And-Ones: LeBron, Amazon, Local Broadcasts, Top FAs

June 21st, 2025 at 4:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers forward LeBron James, who recently starred in an ad for Amazon Prime and has been doing a press tour ahead of the company’s Prime Day promotion next month, could end up joining Prime Video’s coverage of the NBA following the end of his playing career, sources tell Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.

According to McCarthy, ABC/ESPN and NBC would also almost certainly have interest in James if he wants to get into broadcasting, but LeBron’s growing business relationship with Amazon could give Prime the upper hand. The four-time MVP has previously criticized ESPN’s and TNT’s coverage of the NBA for being too negative, but spoke glowingly about his expectations for Amazon in an interview with Tony Maglio of The Hollywood Reporter.

“(Prime Video’s team of analysts) has so much knowledge and (so many) people that know the game and appreciate the game and talk about the game in such a positive manner,” James said. “So, I think Amazon Prime Video, they’re gonna do a great job showcasing our sport; (the talent) love(s) our sport. Great intellect, great commentary, great insight — I really look forward to that. And like I said, those guys that they have signed up for it, they’re gonna do great things.”

James’ former teammate Dwyane Wade and podcast partner Steve Nash are among the Amazon Prime analysts he singled out for praise, along with Dirk Nowitzki and Candace Parker.

In that interview with Maglio, James was also asked about his stance that he’s unlikely to play in the 2028 Olympics for Team USA — he made it clear his position on that subject hasn’t changed.

“Me being able to support Team USA for the rest of my life — that’s for sure. But me actually going on and playing, I don’t see it happening,” James said. “I’ve given everything that I have, and I will always be appreciative and loyal and dedicated to Team USA and USA Basketball.”

We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Although the NBA reached 11-year media rights deals with Disney (ABC/ESPN), Amazon, and NBC that will go into effect later this year for national broadcasts, the outlook for game broadcasts in local markets is murkier. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explores that subject, noting that the NBA has considered the idea of introducing a local version of League Pass, though that likely wouldn’t happen until 2026/27 at the earliest.
Keith Smith of Spotrac has published his list of this year’s top 50 NBA free agents, while Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has projected possible contracts and landing spots for 30 of the best players on the market. John Hollinger of The Athletic, meanwhile, wraps up his look at the 2025 free agent class by focusing on the top power forwards and centers. Our own top-50 free agent list will be published on Monday, after the NBA Finals conclude.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst takes a look at five storylines and 12 players who could shape the 2025 NBA offseason, starting with the Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes and what happens with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.

Lakers Sale Notes: Walter, Buss, LeBron, Doncic

June 19th, 2025 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill

The sale of the Lakers to Los Angeles sports mogul Mark Walter should signal a change in the way the franchise operates, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The record-setting deal, which includes an approximate $10 billion valuation for the franchise, will end more than four decades of control for the Buss family.

Despite their position as one of the NBA’s glamour teams, Vorkunov points out that the Lakers haven’t always been run that way. He states that many of the owners who’ve entered the league in the past few years are more aggressive about investing in high-priced front office and coaching hires and that L.A.’s basketball operations department isn’t as large or free spending as some of the small-market teams.

Vorkunov expects Walter to adopt a different approach based on his stewardship of the Dodgers, who have used an enormous payroll to become an MLB powerhouse. They’re projected to spend $476MM this season in payroll and luxury tax, and they invest heavily to bring in top-notch talent throughout the organization.

“A key difference between baseball and basketball is that you can’t simply outspend everyone on payroll the way the Dodgers do,” an NBA executive told Vorkunov. “But what most people overlook is how much the Dodgers invest beyond just players. They spend at an elite level on infrastructure: front office talent, analytics and player development. Each area is essentially run by a GM-level executive, enabling them to retain top-tier personnel across the board.”

There’s more on the sale of the Lakers:

The purchase agreement ensures that Jeanie Buss will retain her role as governor and will keep running the team for “at least a number of years,” sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link). Her sources add that Walter gave his full endorsement to the arrangement, noting that he and Buss have built a strong relationship, especially since he became a minority owner in 2021. Shelburne adds that it’s a different situation that Mark Cuban faced in Dallas, where he didn’t get to keep the operational control he expected after his sale of the team was finalized (Twitter link).
The Buss family intends to hang onto a minority stake in the franchise worth just over 15%, per Shams Charania of ESPN. NBA bylaws require a stake of at least 15% in order for Jeanie to continue serving as governor, as Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line note (Substack link).
LeBron James is “comfortable” with the impending sale, Vorkunov and other Athletic reporters add in a separate story. Luka Doncic, who is eligible for a $229MM extension, shared his excitement about the deal on social media. “The Lakers are an amazing organization,” he tweeted. “I’m looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I’m happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them to win championships!”
Mark Medina of RG notes that Buss talked 10 years ago about having the family control the team “forever.” He looks at what has happened over the past decade to make them change their minds.

LeBron James Discusses Knee, Plans To Play 23rd Season

June 17th, 2025 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James intends to continue his NBA career in 2025/26, which will make him the first player in league history to play a 23rd season, writes Jonathan Landrum Jr. of The Associated Press. For now, the Lakers star’s focus is on making sure his left knee gets healthy after he sustained an MCL sprain in the playoffs.

“I have a lot of time to take care of my injury, my knee, the rest of my body and make sure I’m as close to 100% as possible when training camp begins in late September,” James said.

While James, who expressed uncertainty in the wake of the Lakers’ postseason elimination about his future plans, confirmed he has no plans to call it a career this offseason, he didn’t specifically address his contract situation. The veteran forward holds a $52.6MM player option for next season and is considered likely to either pick up that option or negotiate a new deal to remain with the Lakers.

LeBron, who will turn 41 this December, also isn’t prepared to offer a timeline for when he might call it a career, though he acknowledged that he can’t help but think about how much time he might have left in the NBA.

“At this point of my career, you think about when the end is. That’s human nature,” he told Landrum. “You think: Is it this year? Or next year? Those thoughts always creep into your mind at this point of the journey. But I have not given it a specific timetable, date. I’m seeing how my body and family reacts, too.”

After becoming Lakers teammates with his son Bronny James this past season, LeBron said it would be “insane” if he also got the opportunity to play alongside younger son Bryce James, who would be draft-eligible as early as 2026. Whether or not that happens, the four-time MVP expressed appreciation to his family for enthusiastically supporting him for as long as he wants to continue playing.

“They’re like ‘Dad, continue on your dream. This is your dream. Continue on your focus. You’ve been here for us this whole time,'” LeBron said. “When you have that type of support… it makes it a lot easier.”

And-Ones: All-Star Game, Rubio, Draft Sleepers, Broadcasters

June 5th, 2025 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Asked during an appearance on FS1’s Breakfast Ball (Twitter video link) whether a U.S. vs. the World format for the All-Star Game is something the NBA could implement as soon as 2026, league commissioner Adam Silver replied, “Yes.”

Silver cautioned that nothing has been set in stone yet, but that plan has been set in motion, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, and the NBA believes the timing makes sense. There was significant interest in the men’s basketball event at the 2024 Paris Olympics that featured a star-studded Team USA taking on NBA stars from other countries, and the 2026 All-Star Game will air on NBC while the network is also broadcasting the Winter Olympics.

“What better time to feature some form of USA against the world?” Silver said on FS1. “I’m not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I obviously paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did (with its ‘4 Nations Face Off’ All-Star event earlier this year), which was a huge success. … But also, going back, last summer, our Olympic competition was a huge success.”

As Reynolds writes, the biggest sticking point for the NBA is that approximately 70% of the NBA’s players are American, with just 30% from other countries. So even though some of the game’s biggest stars – including Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic – could represent the “world” team, a format that requires 12 non-U.S. players to be named All-Stars would likely result in some glaring snubs among U.S. players.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced his retirement from the NBA in January 2024, played for Barcelona at the end of the 2023/24 season before taking ’24/25 off. The 34-year-old Spaniard published a message on social media on Thursday that could be interpreted as either a hint at his retirement as a player or a signal that he isn’t done yet. “I took this year to reflect on my career and my life, and I’ve realized that if I’ve gotten to where I am today, it’s not because of the assists I’ve given, but because of the assists I’ve received,” Rubio wrote (via Twitter). “This isn’t a goodbye, it’s a thank you to all the people who have helped me along the way.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports identifies seven of his favorite “sleepers” in this year’s draft, naming UNC’s Drake Powell, Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard, Kentucky’s Koby Brea, and four others as prospects capable of outperforming their probable draft slots.
Richard Deitsch and Andrew Marchand of The Athletic dig into the NBA’s media landscape, with Marchand noting that the league’s new partners, Amazon and NBC, will be keeping an eye on players nearing the end of their respective careers who might be interested in transitioning to broadcasting. That group includes Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James, according to Marchand, who adds that Steve Kerr would qualify too if he moves on from coaching in the coming years.

Shams: LeBron James Likely To Opt In For 2025/26

May 27th, 2025 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday about LeBron James‘ future, ESPN’s Shams Charania said the Lakers star appears likely to exercise his $52.6MM player option for the 2025/26 season (YouTube link).

“I’m told he’s likely to opt in. … That’s likely, that’s the plan,” Charania said. “But his option date is June 29, so he still has about a month to figure it out. There’s going to be some hard conversations that are going to happen between him (and) the Lakers, seeing what this team looks like. Because whether he plays one more season or a few more seasons, he wants to be in a competitive environment.

“… He’s probably going to opt in because the option is so big. And then that gives you flexibility to figure out, do you extend off that number or…if this is the last hurrah, essentially.”

When the Lakers’ season came to an end a few weeks ago, James expressed uncertainty about his NBA future and didn’t confirm that he’d return to Los Angeles in 2025/26 or even continue his playing career at all.

However, it has always seemed highly unlikely that James would announce his retirement this summer, and there has been no indication in recent years that he has any interest in leaving L.A., despite some up-and-down seasons during his time with the Lakers. With Luka Doncic now in the picture, there’s a newfound reason for optimism for the franchise, seemingly reducing the odds of a LeBron exit.

Given that context, Charania’s report makes sense, though it’s worth noting that if he opts in, James would be earning less than his maximum salary (projected to be $54.1MM) and wouldn’t have the ability to sign an extension before that contract expires next summer. So even if he wants to just commit for one more season with the Lakers and then leave his options open in 2026, he could still end up turning down his player option in order to sign a new one-year contract.

Assuming James returns for the ’25/26 season, it would be his 23rd year in the NBA, which would be a new league record. LeBron’s 22 seasons in the NBA puts him in a tie with Vince Carter for the current mark.

LeBron James Says MCL Sprain Is ‘Getting Better’

May 24th, 2025 at 6:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James is making progress with the knee injury he suffered in the Lakers‘ final playoff game.

In a recent edition of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, James stated that his left MCL sprain is “getting better” (hat tip to Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation). He adds that the most difficult part of the process is having to remain relatively inactive while the knee heals.

“That’s the most challenging thing,” James said. “Even though I can’t do much as far as like lower body stuff, I’m still like in the weight room, still getting in upper body. The one thing I am able to do a little bit is ride like a stationary bike just to kind of keep the blood flowing and things of that nature, keep the flexibility as much as possible in the knee. But I’m not a guy that likes to sit around. I have a lot of energy and I hate sitting around, so this has definitely been, almost two weeks after the season, they always tell you to take time off and I’m just not that guy. I’m going crazy right now, for sure.”

James remained in the news this week by earning second-team All-NBA honors. He turned in an unprecedented campaign for a 40-year-old — averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 70 games — and received All-NBA recognition for the 21st straight year.

“ALL NBA at 40!! Low key crazy to me right now! Sitting here watching the playoffs just thinking about it,” James tweeted. “Blessed beyond I can even imagine.”

James has a $52.6MM player option for next season, but in the aftermath of the Lakers’ playoff loss, he expressed uncertainty about whether he plans to continue playing, and it appears that stance hasn’t changed. His agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, wasn’t able to offer any insight into James’ plans during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.

Helin states that the expectation around the league is that James will be back for at least another year, as he was energized by the chance to play alongside his son, Bronny James, and to team up with Luka Doncic. Whatever James’ decision turns out to be, Paul indicated that he won’t rush into it.

“I have no idea, zero. Normally our process is, kind of weigh everything and see how he’s feeling and all those type of things,” Paul said. “… Same process it’s been for the last I don’t know how many years. … He’ll come around to what he’s thinking at some point and we’ll kind of go over some things and go from there.”

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