Despite mounting speculation during the NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear: LeBron James is not going anywhere as they prepare to chase down their first championship since 2020.
The organization has never entertained trade or buyout discussions involving the four-time NBA champion, even as speculation reached a peak following James’s decision to exercise his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
The confirmation via The Athletic comes amid ongoing rumors spurred by LeBron’s visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ facility amid reported interest from teams like the Dallas Mavericks and even the New York Mets.
However, sources close to the Lakers and all-time great have denied any serious conversations regarding a departure. James’ longtime agent, Rich Paul, also stepped in to cool the noise, insisting that there are no plans for Richard Jefferson predicts Team USA won’t win gold in 2028 Olympicsto leave Los Angeles.
League insiders maintain that both the Lakers and James expect him to report to training camp later this fall, marking the beginning of his eighth consecutive season with the team, his longest stint with a single franchise during his 23-year NBA career.
James’ status has been a constant topic of debate during the offseason, particularly after Paul’s earlier comments were interpreted by some as subtle hints about the star’s potential availability.
This led to conjecture about reunions with former teammates, such as Kyrie Irving in Dallas or a return to Cleveland. But The Athletic reports that neither of these teams has engaged in any substantial dialogue about acquiring James.
Why trading LeBron away, or trading for LeBron, doesn’t make sense
Financially, a trade involving LeBron presents major challenges as under NBA salary cap rules, teams would be required to match his $52.6 million salary in any deal-an obstacle for most contenders unwilling to dismantle their rosters for a short-term gamble.
Dallas, for instance, reportedly has no interest in breaking up its core for a one-year commitment – especially after drafting Cooper Flagg as the first pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. And Cleveland faces both cap and personnel constraints.
Whilst from the Lakers’ standpoint, a buyout also makes little strategic sense as releasing James would still count against the cap and remove a veteran presence who remains a top-tier contributor.
In the 2024-25 season, James played 70 games, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists while maintaining elite efficiency. He ranked in the top 22 in each statistical category and finished sixth in MVP voting.
Now 40 years old, he enters his 23rd NBA season, on track to break Robert Parish’s all-time record of 1611 regular-season games. He currently holds the all-time scoring record with 42,184 points in regular-season play.
Despite the Lakers transitioning to a new core built around Luka Doncic, acquired from Dallas in a blockbuster February trade, LeBron’s leadership and experience remain central to the team’s ambitions in the competitive Western Conference.
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