LeBron James is undoubtedly the most popular member of the Los Angeles Lakers in mid-June.
The 40-year-old superstar has failed to make a definitive retirement decision despite dropping hints along the way, resulting in a drama-filled offseason thus far.
On Wednesday, the Lakers received a win-win prediction regarding James’ 2025-26 status amid loud retirement noise.
“The Lakers appear committed to James for as long as he wants to play in the NBA,” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote. “That the franchise needs to build properly around Luka Doncic, the blockbuster in-season acquisition, is paramount. What if those two directives are divergent?”
“Monitoring how the Lakers move forward closely, James can opt out and re-sign (typically, he likes two-year deals with a player option on the second season) for slightly more than his option. Or he can opt in, finish his contract, and retire, re-sign, or move on after 2025-26.”
“That path forward will dictate how much flexibility the franchise has to construct the Doncic-era Lakers. James, paid in the $50 million range, financially limits L.A., but he’s still also one of the best players in the world, even at 41 (in December).”
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“Prediction: James is back with the Lakers, whether opting in or on a new two-year deal with a player option at a similar salary.”
Ideally, the Lakers would love for James to opt out of his $52.6 million player option and sign a deal that’ll enable the franchise to make valuable roster moves in free agency.
However, James opting in should also be viewed as a positive move.
At the least, the Lakers will retain the 24.4 points per game scorer for at least one more season, giving him a tremendous opportunity to share the floor with Doncic, a game-changing playmaker with NBA finals experience, for an entire campaign.
It’s all about convincing James to postpone his retirement, which, according to Pincus, appears to be the most likely scenario regardless of how the superhuman forward approaches his player option.
More NBA: Lakers’ LeBron James gets $52.6 million contract prediction after Luka Doncic news
