Overview

• Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes urged the Lakers to seriously view LeBron James as a 2026 trade‑deadline candidate.
• James, 40, opted into a $52.6 million contract for 2025–26, setting up unrestricted free agency in 2026.
• Recent reporting describes the franchise pivoting to a Luka Dončić‑centered plan, reducing James’s status as the focal point.
• Potential destinations cited include the Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors, Mavericks and Clippers, with his roughly $53 million salary complicating trade construction.
• Agent Rich Paul says James wants to compete for a championship, and reporting notes any suitor must weigh short‑term upside against the cost of a new deal beyond 2025–26.