The biggest story of the NBA offseason that has caught everyone's interest of late has been LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers. Dan Woike and Joe Vardon of The Athletic were not bought into the idea that James would be switching teams any time soon.
The pair wrote, "Amid the constant speculation recently about his future, both the Lakers and people close to the NBA’s all-time leading scorer expect that he will be with the organization for training camp once the season begins this fall, league sources told The Athletic."
Woike and Vardon added that there has been 'no indication' of any trade request or buyout in the works either. Those scenarios have 'never been discussed' amid all the buzz surrounding James and the Lakers.
The two writers went on to explain the impracticalities surrounding some of the top destinations that LeBron has been linked to. For one reason or another, there was a strong disbelief in the Lakers' interest regarding a trade with rumored spots like New York, Golden State, or Cleveland.
James staying put still works out well for all parties
ESPN and The Athletic clearly have very different outlooks on the situation in Los Angeles. The former had been fanning the flames of disgruntlement when Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne teamed up for an inside look. The latter is quickly bringing out the firetruck.
Granted, even other personnel at ESPN like Dave McMenamin offered reason to take pause on the narratives building around James and the Lakers. That is where the overall trend appears to be going with the situation. It would be wise to follow that direction at this point.
With LeBron James at the Lakers game tonight, I asked him if he would like to speak to me about his future with the franchise. “I ain’t got nothing to talk about,” he said. My report for ESPN from Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/sFRgCYHmqw
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 13, 2025
If the root of this big divide was whether the Lakers are good enough to be a contender in 2025-26, most can find comfort in the fact that things are not so desperate in that regard. Rob Pelinka certainly has not built the perfect roster, but it is far from hopeless.
Having two top 10 players in the NBA, with James and Luka Doncic, is a better starting point than most other teams have to work with. That duo alone should offer every opportunity to compete.
Can the pieces around them be improved? Undoubtedly, the answer is yes.
However, the weight of those moves does not require a massive, ground-shaking trade. A key free agency addition here, a well-fitting trade there, and suddenly the Lakers should be able to close the gap on the best teams in the Western Conference.
For all parties involved, continuing this partnership still makes a ton of sense if the initial rumors of disconnect have been massively overplayed. Pushing for a championship in 2025-26 should be the goal for everyone moving forward.