LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Once again, LeBron James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers is up for debate. The 41-year-old superstar is in the final year of his contract and is expected to leave the franchise in the summer.
When speaking with Heavy on Sports, former NBA guard Nate Robinson claimed that this should be LeBron’s final season in the league.
“ This needs to be his last year period,” Robinson said, courtesy of Sportsbook review. “So he should go into the sunset and be good. Like we’ve seen enough of LeBron James now. He needs to pass the torch to the rest of the NBA. It’s time.”
LeBron missed the opening months of the season due to sciatica. However, he’s been highly impactful in the 31 games he’s played so far, averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists, shooting 50.5% from the field.
There’s no guarantee this will be LeBron’s final year in the NBA. Nevertheless, his time with the Lakers has likely run its course, regardless of whether he opts to have another year in the league or not.
Even in the coming summer, ahead of LeBron’s age-42 season, there will undoubtedly be multiple teams willing to sign him to a short-term deal. He’s still too impactful to ignore. So, it makes sense why his future remains such a talking point.
LeBron James Could Be Ready To Leave The Lakers
During a recent appearance on Bleacher Report’s YouTube channel, NBA Insider Jake Fischer revealed that both LeBron and the Lakers are ready to part ways.
“The Lakers are ready to move on from LeBron James and I think LeBron James is ready to move on from the Lakers as well,” Fischer said. “That’s kind of the foregone sentiment in Los Angeles right now about what’s to come this summer.”
Losing LeBron has felt inevitable since the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic at the 2025 trade deadline. If he walks this summer, a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers would be the most logical outcome. That way, LeBron could bring his career full circle before moving onto the next chapter of his life.
LeBron And Lakers Facing End Of Relationship
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, both LeBron and the Lakers are coming to terms that this season is the end of their working relationship.
“The reality of what we have right here is the end of a relationship in terms of LeBron James and the Lakers,” Charania reported on Feb. 2. “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.”
LeBron helped bring a championship to Los Angeles in 2020. He’s been a key part of the franchise for eight straight seasons. Parting ways with him won’t be an easy decision.
Nevertheless, given the Lakers’ current trajectory, it will be the right call, as LeBron’s leaving would ensure the transition of power to Doncic is complete.