Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves want LeBron James to return to the Los Angeles Lakers if the future Hall of Famer doesn’t retire from the NBA this offseason, according to Lakers Daily.
James becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time since 2018. The four-time MVP hasn’t announced whether he will retire or continue playing next season.
Most people in the NBA expect James to re-sign with the Lakers or sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason if he doesn’t retire. Lakers Daily reports that James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will speak to James about signing with the Cavaliers.
Dončić, Reaves and James have been teammates since last season. The Lakers acquired Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks and were projected to compete for the 2025 championship, but the Minnesota Timberwolves beat Los Angeles in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games.
The Lakers are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference standings. Dončić leads the NBA in scoring at 32.5 points per game, Reaves is averaging a career-high 24.1 points per game and James is putting up 21.6 points per game at the age of 41. He’s the oldest active player in the league.
It will be fascinating to see what James decides to do this offseason. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has been in the league since 2003. He’s a four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. James has played for the Cavaliers (twice) Miami Heat and Lakers. He’s been with Los Angeles since 2018.
The Lakers are expected to pursue a trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason. Los Angeles can offer up to three first-round picks to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo. In addition, the Lakers can absorb Antetokounmpo’s contract into cap space without the Bucks having to take back potentially unwanted salary.
Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, one-time Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time All-Star. He holds career averages of 24.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
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