The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James have been the biggest story in the NBA rumor mill over the last week. His future with the team has been very much in doubt, but there have been no concrete reports about what the future may hold.
When the Lakers pulled off the huge trade to acquire Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, it was a clear passing of the torch. James was no longer the face of the franchise in Los Angeles. That title now belongs to Doncic.
After half of a season together, it became clear that the Lakers had a lot of work to do. Could they look to accomplish some of that work by moving on from James?
That is exactly what one longtime NBA insider has reported they're looking to do.
According to a report from John Gambadoro, Los Angeles is looking to move on from James as soon as possible. His report was shared by ESPN Cleveland.
Does that mean that the Lakers will look to trade James? Possibly so, but that will not be an easy task. He has one year left on his contract at over $52.6 million.
One team that has been connected as a possible trade fit is the Cleveland Cavaliers. The New York Knicks have also been suggested as a possible landing spot.
It's also possible that Los Angeles will simply let James play out the final year of his contract. He would turn into a $52.6 million expiring contract for the franchise next offseason.
James may not be the player that he once was, but he's still one of the top stars in the NBA. He's more than capable of playing at the level of a top-10 player.
During the 2024-25 NBA season with the Lakers, James played in 70 games. He averaged 24.4 points per game to go along with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and a steal, while shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and knocking down 37.6 percent of his three-point attempts.
Even at 40 years old, James is the kind of player that could take a contender over the top and to a championship. With the Eastern Conference wide open, there could be a team or two, possibly the Cavaliers or Knicks, willing to swing big on him.
Only time will tell, but Los Angeles seems ready to move on from James and the longtime superstar might not be opposed to working with the team to make that happen.
For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
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