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Amid growing speculation about LeBron James’ long-term future with the Los Angeles Lakers, a new report from The Athletic's Dan Woike suggests the 40-year-old forward remains engaged with the franchise, citing his recent appearance at the NBA 2K26 Summer League in support of his son Bronny James.
Appearing on The Lowe Post podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Woike described James’ courtside demeanor during the Lakers’ Summer League matchup as consistent with his typical public involvement with the team.
“I would say it was pretty normal. Like he was cheering for the Lakers last night during that game. His son also plays for the Lakers so it makes sense. That was the lens in which he was watching the game,” Woike said. “I was sitting right behind him. Coaches would come up and talk to him. Nate McMillan was there and spoke to him. Greg St. Jean sat with him for almost a quarter and they were talking.”
Woike also noted an interaction that hinted at the strength of the relationship between the Lakers organization and the James family. He highlighted the presence of Savannah James, who was seated next to Linda Rambis during a previous Summer League game. Rambis, a longtime Lakers executive and advisor to ownership, has long been considered a key figure in maintaining strong personal relationships between the front office and star players.
Lakers' close ties with LeBron James family highlight stability amid ongoing exit speculation
“I think maybe even a more telltale sign in terms of like Laker hierarchy and stuff like that was that the previous game Savannah was sitting next to Linda Rambis, which is like, this is what the Lakers do really, really well,” Woike said. “They have like personal touch with their stars generally speaking. It’s the direct line from ownership to the most important players.”
While rumors have persisted this offseason about James potentially departing the Lakers before the end of his career, Woike emphasized that such speculation often lacks concrete direction and tends to generate more questions than answers.
“If you go sit in the stands, you go sit in the scout section or something like that, and it’s all anybody talks about,” he said. “What’s crazy though is that as you talk about it, you try to come up with an answer, and every answer just produces more questions.”
James opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025–26 season and is set to return for his 23rd NBA campaign. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three across 70 appearances last season.
The Lakers, meanwhile, continue Summer League play with a matchup against the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET. Bronny James led the team in scoring during their 67–58 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-5 from three in 24 minutes.
