Overview
- LeBron exercised his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, locking in his return to the Los Angeles Lakers.
- A July 4 sighting at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ practice facility prompted reunion and trade rumors before James dismissed it as a routine summer workout.
- Agent Rich Paul confirmed that four teams have reached out about potential trades as James evaluates his final championship window.
- Sources say the combination of the new CBA, Lakers’ salary-cap limitations and James’s no-trade clause have stalled any meaningful trade discussions.
- With speculation still active but constrained, James remains under contract with the Lakers as he targets another NBA title.