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2d ago

Lakers Sign Deandre Ayton as LeBron’s Future with Team Remains Uncertain

Prioritizing youth alongside cap flexibility highlights the Lakers’ pivot toward Luka Doncic as they reassess LeBron James’s role after 2025–26

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LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 27, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Overview

  • LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option for 2025–26, securing one more season in Los Angeles before free agency in 2026.
  • Deandre Ayton agreed to a two-year contract with a second-year player option to bolster interior defense after the Lakers’ first-round playoff exit.
  • Ayton said he has received a welcome text from Luka Doncic but has yet to hear from LeBron James since signing with the franchise.
  • General manager Rob Pelinka described the February trade for 25-year-old Luka Doncic as “a gift,” calling him the foundation for the Lakers’ next decade.
  • Media speculation includes unconfirmed multi-team trade scenarios with the Mavericks and Jazz and a hypothetical swap involving the Nuggets, suggesting teams are gauging interest in acquiring James.