DHJ Quick Take: Rivals Expect LeBron to Stay with Lakers
- Expected Return to Los Angeles: Despite heading into unrestricted free agency for the first time since 2018, rival NBA teams widely believe that LeBron James will ultimately choose to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Alternative Landing Spots: If a deal with Los Angeles were to unexpectedly fall through, the legendary forward has already been strongly linked to the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers as primary alternative destinations.
- Decorated Lakers Tenure: James has anchored the Lakers franchise since arriving ahead of the 2018-19 season, a highly successful stretch highlighted by a 2020 NBA Championship run and a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2023.
Rival teams believe LeBron James will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
James becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time since 2018. He’s been linked to the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers should a Los Angeles return not happen.
“If James remains with the Lakers, they’ll need to come to a number that significantly reduces his salary, which was over $50 million last season, and still leaves space to add a quality player,” Windhorst wrote. “James’ willingness to lower his salary could depend on what the Lakers are able to deliver with the savings. But many rival teams believe that this is the best pathway forward for the Lakers and for James and that, in the end, both will get there even if there are some bruises from the process.”
James has been with the Lakers since the 2018-19 season. He guided the franchise to the 2020 championship. LAL also made the Western Conference Finals in 2023.
Lakers superstar Luka Dončić missed the entire 2026 playoffs because of a serious hamstring injury, while Austin Reaves missed Games 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Lakers-Houston Rockets first-round series due to an oblique strain. LAL beat Houston in six games behind James.
A 22-time All-Star and arguably the greatest player in NBA history, James played in 60 games this regular season. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, once again proving that he has conquered Father Time. In the 2026 playoffs against the Rockets and Thunder, James put up 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
James is a four-time MVP, four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. He’s played for the Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and Lakers and is the all-time leader in points, field goals, games and minutes.
It will certainly be fascinating to see what James does this summer. The sports icon is the oldest active player in the NBA. He turns 42 in December.
“It’s up to the mind,” James told TIME. “Where the mind goes, the body will lay. When I’m not in love with getting to the arenas on game days five hours before to start my preparation, if I’m out of love with getting to practice 2½ hours beforehand, then I know I’ll be done. Because then I’m going to start cheating the game.”
James’ son, Bronny James, is on the Lakers. It would be pretty shocking to see LeBron leave his son.
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