LeBron James may just be the biggest elephant in the room this NBA season. Although Luka Doncic has brought new championship expectations with him to the Los Angeles Lakers since last season's blockbuster trade, LeBron's immediate future continues to be the No. 1 topic in LA.
Then again, isn't James always the talk of the town?
Since joining the Lakers in 2018, this organization has made numerous roster changes and adjustments to best fit the legend. This led to their championship run in the 2020 NBA Bubble and the seventh-most wins in the league since the start of the 2018-19 season.
However, appealing to James has also led the Lakers down a similar path to what happened at the end of Kobe Bryant's career — no direction for a path forward and a rebuild staring them down.
That is a path Rob Pelinka and this organization won't see themselves going down anymore, especially after bringing in Doncic.
This is Luka's organization now. The Lakers have made it clear they will make moves to set him up for future championship success, and that was evident by the young superstar being involved in roster decisions this past offseason.
As for LeBron, he held no involvement in the decisions made this offseason by Pelinka and the front office, nor has he been consulted about the team's immediate plans this season. His only goal is to win at the end of his career and compete for one last championship.
Doncic and the Lakers also envision themselves competing for a title during the 2025-26 season, which is why all seemed to be well entering training camp and the NBA preseason after speculation of James potentially wanting a change took place all offseason.
Still, LeBron's future looms large, as Los Angeles' 119-109 loss in their season opener to the Golden State Warriors caused every rumor from the summer to resurface.
From the Lakers looking lost on offense, outside of Doncic, without LeBron, to his expressions on the bench during their first game, many are once again asking about what Year 23 will look like for James.
All of this still points to the major question at large of whether he truly wants to finish his career with the Lakers.
Does LeBron James actually want to stay with the Lakers?
Since LeBron opted into his player option for the 2025-26 season instead of becoming an unrestricted free agent, questions about how happy he's been in Los Angeles have arisen.
More importantly, Rich Paul, James' friend, agent, and CEO of Klutch Sports, added fuel to the fire with his comments about LeBron prioritizing winning and signaling his time with the Lakers was coming to an end.
But no trade talks were ever discussed between the Lakers and other organizations this offseason, and never once was the idea of a buyout discussed. James still remains committed to the franchise.
Or is he?
Throughout the Lakers' first game of the season in Crypto.com Arena against the Warriors, James seemed uninterested and very unenthusiastic on the team's bench. This led to a ton of speculation on social media from NBA fans about a possible disconnect existing between the superstar and his team.
Whether or not this is true, Lakers head coach JJ Redick defended LeBron on Wednesday, citing that he was an integral part of breaking down the loss in the team's film session and that there were no ill feelings about anything.
“LeBron was really helpful,” Redick said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I told them him asking questions, him giving his input, us having a back-and-forth is so healthy. . . I would like to have dialogue and back-and-forth and questions every single time we do film and teach. You got a question, speak up. If you want to make a point, speak up. It was good.”
The question of whether James wants to finish the 2025-26 season with the Lakers is not as relevant as the fact that he may be forced to.
LeBron is making $52.6 million this season before he becomes a free agent in 2026. It is presumed no team in the league will be willing to unload assets for the 40-year-old, knowing that his time remaining in the NBA is limited.
Not to mention, the teams James would potentially be interested in all face cap restrictions.
The New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets have been the most discussed potential landing spots in hypothetical trade scenarios involving LeBron. Denver and New York don't have direct paths to acquiring this type of salary without relinquishing key, integral players in return, and both Golden State and Dallas face hard-cap restrictions.
Never say never when it comes to a potential trade in the NBA, especially after the Luka deal last season involving Los Angeles, but it's far-fetched to believe LeBron can and will be moved this season, regardless of how he feels.
Speaking of how he feels, rumors about James' mood with the Lakers continue to add a layer of intrigue about a potential disconnect existing between the league's all-time leading scorer and his team.
Many media members covering the Lakers have questioned LeBron's attitude and how he perceives the organization. Jovan Buha, who has covered the team for years, recently claimed on his “Buha’s Block” podcast that the “vibes” between the All-Star and the Lakers have “not been the best.”
Perhaps everyone is looking into the first game of the Lakers' season too much and how LeBron was reacting, but all of these claims continue to add up and point in the direction of a potential disconnect that has been growing ever so much larger through the years.
Of course, everything continues to spiral out of control with James being injured.
Current injury timeline not favorable for Lakers
For those hoping that LeBron will be back on the court in no time, that is not the case in Los Angeles.
James has been dealing with sciatica on his right side throughout the offseason, and this ailment has forced him to miss the start of the 2025-26 season, the first time he's missed his team's first game of the season in his entire 23-year career.
Not much has been said by the Lakers regarding LeBron's condition, yet optimism still exists that he will be able to make his debut sometime in the middle of November. The Lakers have a five-game road trip that takes place from Nov. 8-15, so if he were to make his season debut at home, some are pointing to a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Jazz.
At this time, there is no official return date for James, as everything is purely speculative. The common assumption is that he will be back by mid-November, but there is no certainty surrounding the 21-time All-Star.
However, there are several factors that come into play, two of which revolve around the Lakers' ability to withstand James being out and the league's 65-game minimum rule for awards and accolades.
For hypothetical purposes, let's say LeBron doesn't make his debut until that home game on Nov. 18 against the Jazz. That means he would miss the first 14 games of the season, nine of which are on the road. Last season, the Lakers went 19-22 as the away team, and tough matchups against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Milwaukee Bucks exist in this 14-game span.
Can the Lakers afford to have only Doncic, who already appears to be dealing with some sort of groin discomfort, and Austin Reaves on the floor as their only reliable options? Unfortunately for the Lakers, they may not have any other choice.
As far as the 65-game rule goes, James has made the All-NBA list for 21 straight seasons, an unfathomable record that will never be broken. While there was some doubt about his ability to reach this threshold last year because of injuries, LeBron ultimately finished the 24-25 season playing in 70 games.
If he were to miss the first 14 games of the regular season this year, James would already be at a disadvantage in terms of reaching the 65-game minimum, as he would only be allowed to miss three more games for the entire season and remain eligible for All-NBA honors.
The bottom line is that the Lakers need James back on the court if they are to be anything this year.
Forget all of the accolades and records — the Lakers simply need LeBron to win games. As good as Doncic and Reaves can be, James is still one of the best players in the league when he is healthy.
But regardless of whether he is healthy, LeBron's mentality plays a major role in how this season ends for him and the Lakers. While he could be ready to play soon physically, the 40-year-old's mind may already be in other places.
What does LeBron James' future hold?
There is no denying that the relationship James has with the Lakers has fractured since he first joined the organization and won a championship in 2020. Whether or not it's broken beyond repair is something only LeBron knows.
So, what does the future ultimately hold for LeBron?
As of right now, whether the relationship is strained or not, he is intending to play out the final year of his contract with the Lakers. While it is always possible the mentality of trading LeBron, from both the organization and player's standpoint, may change between now and February, the Lakers are solely focused on getting him back on the court.
After all, these two managed to go 15-8 together when they both played during the 2024-25 season, helping the Lakers claim the 3-seed in the Western Conference behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the 2025 NBA Finals, and the Houston Rockets.
Looking ahead past the 2025-26 season, a lot of uncertainty surrounds the end of James' career.
While it is possible that he could retire at the conclusion of this season, it is much more likely that LeBron will be searching for a new contract as an unrestricted free agent with at least one more year left in his illustrious career.
James wants to win another championship, and if he feels like he can't do so with Los Angeles, the early presumption is that he will be willing to take less money on a short-term deal to do so elsewhere. That is a whole separate topic, though, and there is no reason to project anything that is over eight months away.
The Lakers continue to stress patience and optimism regarding LeBron, which is why the waiting game continues in Los Angeles.
