Overview

• James picked up his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26, committing to the last year of his two-year deal with the Lakers
• Agent Rich Paul publicly framed his client’s priority as competing for another title and suggested a review of trade options if LA does not improve
• Los Angeles has made only a minor free-agent addition in Jake LaRavia, lost Dorian Finney-Smith and skipped substantive extension talks with James NBC Sports reports the Cavaliers are “not that interested” in reuniting with James, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst says the Lakers view him as a tradable expiring asset
• Unconfirmed proposals have emerged, including a four-team scenario that would send James to the Warriors, though no formal trade offers have materialized