Will LeBron James continue playing basketball for a 24th season in the NBA, and if so, will it be with the Los Angeles Lakers? Based on what Brian Windhorst said Tuesday on ESPNCleveland, it seems the answer to both questions is yes.
"LeBron, right now, is negotiating with the Lakers. There are conversations happening about what it's going to look like for him. It's very possible that LeBron will come to an understanding with the Lakers well before June 30th."
Windhorst added that opposing teams are operating as if LeBron will stay with the Lakers, which has been the likelihood all along, but we know that there are teams out there who are interested. The Warriors and Cavaliers are the two most popular teams, but there are questions about whether he'd actually go to either team, especially Cleveland.
Lakers and LeBron's camp are reportedly negotiating
As of Sunday, the first full day after the 2025-26 season ended, with the Knicks defeating the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, teams were able to start negotiating with their own free agents. LeBron's agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, is doing that right now about his client's future.
Windhorst noted that James is currently out of the country celebrating the Cavaliers' 10th anniversary of their 2016 title with his former teammates. As the insider said, if LeBron "were really living and dying with this decision," he wouldn't be in Europe.
It sure sounds like he is banking on re-signing with the Lakers, rather than stressing over the decision to go elsewhere. Los Angeles is where his family is, and where his business ventures are. He has a good shot to compete for another title in purple and gold alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, as we saw at the end of last season before injuries took over. LeBron values winning.
Nothing will be official until he signs his new deal, but that's the path the Lakers and James are on. It will be interesting to see what his contract will look like if he does stay put in LA. He's still a top player in the league, even at 41, and he may still want to be paid that way, or he may be willing to take somewhat of a pay cut to give the team financial flexibility for other roster moves.
That agreement could come in less than two weeks, rather than drag on into the summer, which would be great news for the Lakers.
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