LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers continues to be up in the air as he nears the end of his legendary career in the NBA.
He hasn't made a decision on whether he'll retire in the 2026 offseason or keep playing next season. Despite this, league insider Shams Charania provided intriguing insight into the situation.
Shams Charania's insight into LeBron James' future with Lakers
James is going through his 23rd season in the NBA, his eighth with the Lakers. It remains the longest stint throughout his career, surpassing his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003 to 2010.
At age 41, James continues to shine as one of the best veteran stars in the league. He keeps shattering records as he keeps going up on the all-time charts, even building his lead as the all-time leading scorer.
Charania made an appearance on Inside The NBA via ESPN on Jan. 28. He provided his take on the four-time champion's potential stance on his future in the league, believing that James will finish the 2025-26 season with the Lakers while entertaining his options in the offseason.
“I think LeBron in his mind he is finishing this season in LA… he’s got a no trade clause,” Charania said. “There is people in LeBron circle that do believe he is going to go one more year. If he does there is definitely chatter of where that could be. Could that be in Cleveland? could that be in LA, so that’s up for debate for sure, but right now LeBron’s mindset is locked in on this Lakers team.”
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James keeps on being productive for the Lakers at age 41, making records that will be difficult for future veteran players to obtain. He is averaging 22 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game throughout 29 appearances. He is shooting 50.2% from the field, including 32.1% from beyond the arc, and 74.8% from the free-throw line.
Los Angeles has a 28-18 record on the season, sitting at fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Phoenix Suns by 0.5 games while being even with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fifth. However, they trail the Houston Rockets by 0.5 games and Denver Nuggets by 2.5 games.
The Lakers progress through the second half of their eight-game road trip. They face the Washington Wizards on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. ET, New York Knicks on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. ET and Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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