In a move that had been forecast in recent weeks, LeBron James will opt into his contract for the 2025-26 season, as reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
It will be the last year on LeBron’s current contract and will come in at $52.6 million. As of now, there is no indication it’ll be his last season in the league.
Breaking: Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James is opting into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN.
Paul adds: LeBron "knows the Lakers are building for the future ... but he values a realistic chance of winning it all." pic.twitter.com/q5mT1O2R35
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
Rich Paul, Klutch Sports CEO and LeBron’s agent, provided a longer quote to Charania as well:
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. 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, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
This live story will be updated as more information becomes available.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at@JacobRude.