LeBron James will likely be back in the Purple and Gold when the 2025-26 NBA season begins, but it cannot be ruled a certainty, even after his agent Rich Paul's recent comments.
Paul essentially kick-started the James trade rumors this offseason when, after James exercised his player option, he suggested that it may not be in the best interest of both the Los Angeles Lakers and James to continue their partnership, citing the Lakers' apparent long-term vision.
Since then, Paul has denied that James has asked for a trade, but he has not confirmed whether James wants to be traded. Still, the Klutch Sports head pointed out that James can't be traded if he doesn't want to.
“The man has a no-trade clause. End of story. He has a no-trade clause. It’s up to him. He has a no-trade clause,” Paul said on the ‘TylilShow Live' [h/t HoopsHype]. “So in the event when a player has a no-trade clause and a team wants to trade that player, that player can say no. That’s in his contract.”
All of that is true. James is one of only two players (Damian Lillard being the other) who have a no-trade clause in the NBA. While James can still be traded, it would have to be approved by the ‘King' himself, which gives him the power of veto on any and all trades involving him.
However, the real question is not whether James can be traded, but if he wants that to actually happen. James has never been traded before, having signed with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers in free agency in 2010, 2014, and 2018, respectively.
The rumors have not stopped, though, with James being linked to the Cavs, Heat, Golden State Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks throughout this offseason.
Although there is little confirmation either way, James has fueled some of the murmurs, particularly in relation to Cleveland, by working out at the Cavs' practice facility and wearing a ‘Welcome Home' hat while visiting Northeast Ohio this offseason.
The trade would be almost impossible for the Cavs to realistically pull off — if they even would want to do it in the first place. James, 40, is the oldest player in the NBA and will make $52.6 million this season, the 12th-most in the league. Cleveland is also well over the second apron, limiting its flexibility in trades, especially big-dollar blockbusters like any that would include James.
