ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has suggested the Los Angeles Lakers may have turned down LeBron James’ request for a multi-year extension, hinting the 40-year-old’s time with the NBA’s most prestigious franchise could be coming to an end.
The revelation comes at a pivotal time for both James and the franchise, as the four-time NBA champion enters the final guaranteed year of his current contract, with reports of tension between player and organization circulating.
“The LeBron James side is very clear that they didn’t ask for extra years,” Windhorst said to The Hoops Collective. “I’m skeptical of that. Whether they asked for it or whether they wanted it are two different things.
“I know some people have been talking about the Lakers looking at 2027 as like a big free agent year. Well, their actions are indicating that they’re also eyeing 2026.
“The Lakers don’t have LeBron under contract for next year, and then the contracts that they have signed are… protecting next year’s money already.”
So according to the insider, the Lakers’ recent contract moves suggest the organization is focused on protecting future cap space, particularly for the 2026 and 2027 free agent classes.
That’s despite public claims to the contrary from James’ camp, who deny claims the forward sought additional years on his deal to remain in Los Angeles alongside Luka Doncic.
Could LeBron James be traded to the Dallas Mavericks?
The Lakers’ approach signals a shift toward long-term planning over short-term contention as they look for their first NBA championship since the 2020 season, when LA beat the Miami Heat during the Covid-19 bubble.
With James set to earn $52.6 million in 2025/26 after exercising his player option, the front office appears hesitant to commit further considering he isn’t getting any younger, although his numbers still remain elite.
Although the NBA great produced 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists over 70 games with a 51.3% field goal percentage and shot 37.6% from three-point range, his team seems to be preserving financial flexibility for roster overhauls, possibly eyeing major acquisitions two summers from now.
But even with his production, Los Angeles was eliminated early in the playoffs, fuelling questions about whether the current roster can deliver another title considering their vulnerability in the guard role after trading away Anthony Davis to the Mavericks to land Doncic.
This strategic divergence has fueled speculation around potential trade scenarios involving James, most notably, a hypothetical deal proposed by Bleacher Report that would send him to the Dallas Mavericks.
In the proposed five-player exchange, the Lakers would receive Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, and a 2029 first-round pick. The trade would send James to Dallas alongside the Mavericks’ No. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg.
Flagg, who became the fourth freshman to win the Naismith Player of the Year award during his lone season at Duke, is widely seen as a future franchise cornerstone. Bringing LeBron aboard would take pressure away from the teenager and allow him to quietly develop.
Read the full article here
