The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for an offseason in which drastic changes could be just over the horizon. They must decide on whether or not to re-sign former franchise player LeBron James as they seek to finally build a roster that's tailored to Luka Doncic.
The Lakers are reportedly interested in re-signing James, but if they hope to do so, they'll need to sell him on a rather severe salary decrease. If they can't, they may push him right out the door.
James was paid a salary of $52,627,153 for the 2025-26 season. There's certainly a case for him living up to the figure after leading the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves battled injuries. Unfortunately, James is 41 and playing for a team that's looking to retool in a rather costly manner this coming summer.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line was the latest to acknowledge the "open secret" that the Lakers would like to make rather drastic changes to the roster around Doncic.
"Yet it's also an open secret that the Lakers want to remake their roster around Luka Dončić this offseason and have been pointing to the summer of 2026 to do so for some time ... with cap space they'll only have by letting James' $52.6 million salary in 2025-26 dribble off the books on June 30."
Stein continued, explaining that the Lakers are, however, interested in re-signing James—at a "much lower number" than his current salary.
"Re-signing him at a much lower number is believed to appeal to the Lakers ... but selling one of the game's all-time greats on the sort of steep discount he's never taken is thorny. To put it mildly."
Therein lies the harsh reality of the Lakers potentially re-signing James: Doing so will require either partially abandoning the roster reset or offering a significantly lower salary.
Lakers are interested in re-signing LeBron, but at a "much lower" salary
James played exceptionally well in 2025-26, both in his production and the manner in which he adapted to a new role. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, and selflessly embraced a new role as the third option behind Doncic and Reaves.
When Doncic missed the Lakers' entire postseason and Reaves sat for the first four games during the first round, James then stepped up and led Los Angeles to its first playoff series win since 2023.
For as compelling as that all may be, the unavoidable truth is that the NBA is a salary-capped league. Considering Doncic is owed $49.5 million for the 2026-27 season and Reaves could make a salary in a somewhat similar range once he re-signs, that alone makes James' ideal Lakers salary a figure worth debating.
It would be difficult enough if those were the only factors, but there are a surplus of reasons to believe that a severe salary decrease is actually a reasonable tactic for the Lakers to employ.
Lakers seek drastic roster changes with only so much money to spend
Each of the Lakers' top seven players in minutes per game during the 2026 NBA Playoffs are eligible for unrestricted free agency. Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart may yet accept their respective player options, but even if they do, the Lakers are in the market for roster upgrades and starting-caliber talent.
That's an expensive endeavor, particularly when the preferred players they're after include high-level defensive wings, three-point shooters, and interior anchors.
As such, re-signing James for an expensive salary could ultimately prevent the Lakers from making the other changes they're considering. Whether or not said players are better than James individually, the Lakers have roster flaws that range beyond having the best possible third option.
The question is thus as simple as can be: Is James willing to re-sign for considerably less money than he received in 2025-26? If the answer is no, then his time in Los Angeles may be ending.
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