LeBron James
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LeBron James May End Up Spending His 24th NBA Season With a New Team.
For months, persistent rumors have been swirling that LeBron James‘ 23rd season in the NBA could also be his last. ESPN reporter Shams Charania is putting it on the record: his future may no longer be with the Los Angeles Lakers.
On the Pat McAfee Show, Charania said: “Whether that comes at the end of this season if LeBron James decides as a free agent to sign somewhere else or he decides to retire or he decides to come back for one more year and decide he wants to retire as a Laker… The end is near however you wanna slice it.” He also predicted that the end of this relationship is near.
LeBron James Wants to Play and He Wants to Win
LA Lakers
GettyLeBron James Does Not Want to Wait for His Second-Eldest Son Anymore.
James is 41 years old. He still wants to play, and above all, he wants to win. And that likely means: if LeBron doesn’t see a shot at his fifth NBA title, the superstar will pursue a change.
This season, the superstar has stepped onto the court in just 26 of a possible 43 games. In those appearances, the 21-time All-Star is still putting up solid numbers: 22.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. James missed a large chunk of the Lakers’ early season due to a sciatic nerve injury, and the team currently sits fifth in the West with a 27–17 record.
Most recently, the superstar spoke about his future in September. “However this journey unfolds this year, I’m fully invested because I don’t know when the end is coming. I know it will be much sooner rather than later,” he revealed before the season started.
He added that he doesn’t want to wait any longer for his second-oldest son. “He is a young man. He’s now in Tucson. We’ll see what happens this year or next year. He has his schedule, I have mine, and I’m not sure if they match. We’ll see.”
Insider Expects a Big Move
In the first episode of the podcast Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, LeBron James’ agent was directly asked whether James might finish the season with another team. Paul’s answer was short and clear. When asked if a midseason team change was realistic, he said: “No.” And when pressed on whether LeBron would definitely finish the season as a Laker, he added: “Yes. Where would he even go?”
A few weeks ago, NBA insider Bill Simmons brought up a mega trade. A deal that would rank among the most spectacular in the league. His idea: the Golden State Warriors would send Jimmy Butler to LA. In return, James would move to Golden State. James has never been “traditionally” traded in his career. The only time he changed teams was the move from Cleveland to Miami in 2010, which was done as a sign-and-trade.
The reasoning for Simmons’ suggestion: With James alongside Stephen Curry, the fire at the Warriors could be reignited immediately. That the chemistry between the two men is right has already become clear during international competitions.
But general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. made it clear: a trade involving Jimmy Butler is not planned. Rich Paul also made clear that this trade is not going to happen.
Whether he stays with the Lakers, signs elsewhere, or calls it a career, one thing is clear: LeBron James’ next move will be one of the biggest storylines in the NBA.