LA Lakers move on from LeBron James

An earthquake? Yes… but only to a certain extent. On the last day of the trade deadline, LeBron James announced he would exercise his player option, guaranteeing his $52.6 million contract for next season—when he’ll become the first NBA player to have started his career at 23 and turn 41 before New Year’s Eve. This move had been expected in the days leading up to the deadline, with no contract extension with the Lakers and no unilateral option for LeBron to enter free agency.

But the real shock came in the second half, when his agent, the influential Rich Paul, told ESPN and The Athletic: “LeBron knows the Lakers are building for his future, but he wants to fight to be a champion. We understand how difficult it is to win in the short term while planning for the future. What we want now is to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career. He wants every season he has left to count, to remain relevant. The Lakers understand and support this and want what’s best for him. We greatly value our relationship over the past eight years with Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka. LeBron views his time with the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”

The scenario was clear: LeBron was pushing, as he has many times before. He doesn’t want to spend another year stuck in mediocrity. His career is winding down, and he’s aiming for a fifth championship. To do that, he wants the Lakers to move decisively and use their (limited) resources to improve the roster. If not, he might consider a change of scenery to join a genuine title contender. Yet, he accepted his player option because no other team on the market could offer anything remotely close to that $52 million. A move would mean, barring a complicated fit, leaving behind playing alongside his son Bronny, and once again shifting the focus of his business operations and family life… but it remains a possibility.

‘There’s no market for LeBron James, nobody is interested’

While LeBron’s decision wasn’t shocking per se, what was striking was the Lakers’ calm reaction. For starters, there was no official statement confirming LeBron’s move for next season—something that usually happens. Nor did executive Rob Pelinka issue any press comments. Nothing. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst found this unusual but ruled out the idea that the franchise was caught off guard: Rich Paul had informed the Lakers in advance of what was coming and what he intended to say. LeBron had also informed Luka Doncic.

It seems clear that the Lakers have turned the page and are now focused on building around Doncic. LeBron is about to turn 41 and likely doesn’t fit into the Lakers’ long-term plans, especially given their current financial framework. LeBron has a no-trade clause, and if he decides to leave, it would allow the team to fully commit to a new project and demand significant value in return. Just because LeBron can choose his destination doesn’t mean the Lakers must accept any offer. In any case, Doncic’s presence has reshaped the Lakers’ medium-term plans and shifted the balance of power, with the franchise showing no visible reaction to LeBron’s very public gesture.

Meanwhile, Windhorst insists this is probably just a pressure move: “I don’t think LeBron will be traded. The Lakers knew what was coming, Doncic too… but the rest of the NBA didn’t. The only ones surprised were the other teams.” Bobby Marks, also from ESPN and a salary cap expert who worked for the Brooklyn Nets, explained the real issue: “Right now, there’s no market for LeBron James. He’s making $53 million and turning 41. Any team acquiring him would have to give up a lot, and would only have him for one year. That’s why no one is interested. If he were to agree to a buyout with the Lakers, things would change, and the other 29 teams would likely be interested. But as it stands, trading for him just isn’t smart business.”

Marks also pointed to the Cavaliers as an example—a team often mentioned on social media because it’s LeBron’s hometown team, where he played two stints and won the 2016 championship. Cleveland has one of the NBA’s best projects and is a legitimate contender. But it’s also a team facing salary cap challenges and sporting limitations, knowing that taking LeBron would require shedding at least five key players through salary adjustments and negotiations with the Lakers.

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So, at 41 years old and with a $53 million salary for just one year (notably, the first time in 23 years that LeBron will be playing in the final year of his contract without a player option for another season), no team currently shows real interest—and the Lakers are well aware of that. If anyone does express interest, they’ll negotiate hard.

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