It has been a busy offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers. Aside from bringing in proven, experienced players like Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton to play alongside Luka Doncic, as well as giving their new star a massive contract extension, the Lakers have faced a lot of questions surrounding LeBron James' immediate future.
Ever since he opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season and Rich Paul released a statement on his and LeBron's behalf, many have questioned whether James would want a new change of scenery heading into his 23rd NBA season.
Well, LeBron has never requested a trade from the Lakers, contrary to speculation that deals were being discussed between Los Angeles and other organizations in July during the time of NBA Summer League, and the league's all-time leading scorer has not discussed the possibility of a buyout.
James is locked into preparing for the 2025-26 season, and that is proven by his constant communication with members of the Lakers organization, multiple league sources told ClutchPoints.
LeBron James' offseason conversations with Lakers
Throughout the offseason, amid trade, buyout, and retirement speculation surrounding the future Hall of Famer, LeBron has been talking with several members of the team's staff. He never once cut off communication with the team, and James is devoted to winning in Los Angeles, sources said.
Whether or not this will be his final year with the Lakers is a completely different conversation. In response to asking about potential retirement rumors and the possibility of him continuing his career elsewhere, the word surrounding LeBron has been quiet.
As far as his communication with members of the Lakers this summer, including Doncic, James is said to be his “normal, joyful self,” sources said. There haven't been any indications among these conversations between James and team personnel that he is unhappy and wants to leave Los Angeles immediately.
After all, if this were the case, James would force the Lakers' hand by requesting a trade. This has not happened, nor have James or Paul signaled to Los Angeles that this will occur during the 2025-26 season.
Among conversations with the Lakers this offseason, LeBron has talked with Doncic. Most recently, the two stars spoke on a FaceTime call after Luka signed his three-year, $165 million extension, according to Marc Stein.
Although LeBron and Bronny James were not in attendance for Doncic's grand press conference spectacle on Saturday, he did congratulate the Lakers' new superstar on his extension.
The biggest takeaway from James' conversations with Luka and members of the Lakers' staff: he is excited to continue pushing for a title in Los Angeles.
Even at 40 years old and turning 41 in December, LeBron remains one of the faces of the NBA. However, he is no longer the face of the Lakers, who have made it clear this is now Doncic's team since February's seismic trade.
While this is uncharted territory for James, he has remained committed to the organization he picked to retire with when he first joined Los Angeles in 2019. The future is unknown, and there is no telling whether he will ultimately finish his career with the Lakers, but LeBron remains the leader of the team, and he has no quarrel with Doncic.
Winning is all that matters to James at this point in his career. It is all that matters to Luka as well, who made it clear to Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick at a private dinner in May that he wants the organization to do what it takes to get to the NBA Finals right now.
“I don't want to wait. I had a taste of the Finals. I am getting back there,” Doncic told Pelinka and Reddick at this dinner, according to ESPN. “So let's do whatever we can now.”
So long as the Lakers are in a position to contend at the highest level possible, both LeBron and Luka will be pleased. These two are on the same page ahead of the 2025-26 season, and James will enter his 23rd NBA season with the same winning mentality he had as a rookie in 2003.
The question of whether this will be James' final season will be addressed before training camp.
