The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era of the team, and for the first time in his career, it isn’t centered around LeBron James.
With Luka Doncic signing a deal to stay with the Lakers for the next few years, James is in the final year of his contract with the team. As rumors have persisted about his impending departure, Los Angeles was recently urged to trade the 21-time All-Star in hopes of not losing him for nothing next summer.
“James may want to control his destiny via a trade request, and from the Lakers’ perspective, it’d make sense to get something for him if the alternative is losing him for nothing in free agency,” Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report wrote.
James picked up his $52.6 million player option for next year, but comments made by his agent, Rich Paul, earlier in the summer have sparked speculation that 2025-26 will be his last season with the Lakers.
The Lakers Trading LeBron Is Better Than Losing Him Next Summer
James will become a free agent in 2026, and sending him out at next year’s trade deadline might be the best option for the Lakers.
If he leaves in free agency next summer, there is no guarantee Los Angeles would get anything back for him. It would free up cap space to sign someone to play alongside Doncic, but would likely not rival the type of return they would get in a trade package for one of the best players of all time.
“It’s fully warranted because the Los Angeles Lakers are clearly no longer his team, and because he’s playing out the last year of his deal before 2026 free agency,” Hughes wrote. “Though his $53 million salary and outsized presence make trade scenarios tricky, James’ status as a ring-chasing star with an expiring contract requires that he be seriously viewed as a candidate to move at the deadline.”
As Hughes mentioned, along with the teams previously reported with potential interest, the Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors are linked to James.
“Old stomping grounds like Cleveland and Miami should be particularly attentive, though veteran-led operations hoping for one more playoff run (looking at you, Warriors) should also have their antennae up,” Hughes added. “James isn’t what he used to be, but there still aren’t more than a dozen players you’d rather have in a title chase than him.”
James’ value around the league remains high, despite his status as the oldest player in the NBA. Though his athleticism and defensive ability have dropped slightly over the past two years, he remains one of the most impactful players on the offensive side of the ball at 40 years old.
The Question Of Money
Perhaps the biggest factor for any team around the league going after James at the 2026 NBA trade deadline is the money he would want in his next contract. If he does get moved, whichever team adds James would likely want to re-sign him next summer. But that might be easier said than done if the four-time Finals MVP is asking for a deal close to a max contract.
While all of them are hoping to capitalize on their current championship windows, signing James to a near-max contract would drastically impact their payroll. If he were to sign a minimum deal, or something closer to the mid-level exception, it would do wonders for whichever team he lands on.
That is likely the biggest factor that would come with a potential trade, as though his value remains high, contending teams won’t want to sign James for a large contract that would expire in his mid-40s.
James is coming off a two-year $101 million deal he signed with the Lakers last summer. He could probably get another similar deal from a team less ambitious about competing for a title. Receiving a contract like that from a franchise like Dallas, Golden State, or the Clippers would be much tougher.
Regardless of where he goes, if traded at all, James has his sights set on another championship to close out his storied career.
LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told Shams Charania from ESPN. “We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count.”
