Overview

• LeBron secured his $52.6 million salary for 2025–26 by opting into his final player option and kept a no-trade clause that gives him veto power over any move.
• The Lakers front office has made clear it will not extend James’s contract, signaling a long-term strategy built around Luka Dončić.
• At least four teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, have contacted James’s representatives to explore potential trades.
• Former teammates Udonis Haslem, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye publicly pitched Miami and Cleveland as viable landing spots for James’s late-career title pursuit.
• Rich Paul’s comment about evaluating LeBron’s remaining seasons has fueled ongoing trade speculation without any definitive agreement from either side.