The city of Los Angeles has as much star power between their two teams as ever, with LeBron James and Luka Doncic leading the Lakers while James Harden and Kawhi Leonard headline the Clippers.
However, these stars will not be in Hollywood forever. James Harden, 35, and LeBron James, 40, both have player options for the 2025-26 season, putting their futures with their respective teams in doubt.
However, both the Clippers and Lakers are on the brink of competing for a championship, so these stars are unlikely to jump ship just yet.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends LA Clippers guard James Harden (1)
Feb 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently reported that he thinks both Harden and James will stay in Los Angeles this offseason.
"There’s not a lot of big-name free agents," Windhorst said on The Rich Eisen Show. "The two biggest are James Harden and LeBron James. Both of them, I think, are staying with their teams. LeBron might not even opt out.”
Harden just finished his second season with the Clippers, averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on his way to earning All-NBA Third Team honors. In year 16, Harden proved that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank, despite an underwhelming playoff run.
James just wrapped up his 22nd season in the league, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game on his way to All-NBA Second Team honors, despite being the oldest active player in the NBA. Now that he is teamed up with young superstar Luka Doncic, James could even hold off on retirement for an extra year as he hunts for a fifth championship.