Former executive's comment about LeBron James' trade market may raise eyebrows

The problem could be the potential asking price for James, who is entering the final year of his contract with the Lakers. His deal also has a no-trade clause, which he must waive to facilitate a trade.

For example, Marks said James' former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, would potentially have to trade six players to land him for one year.

Things would change if James agreed to a buyout with the Lakers, but it doesn't appear he'll do that after exercising his $52.6M player option for the 2025-26 season.

That doesn't mean the future Hall of Famer will end his career as a Laker. James' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, released a statement Sunday that failed to clarify his future plans.

"LeBron knows the Lakers are building for the future, and he also wants to compete for championships," Paul said, per The Athletic's Sam Amick. "We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career."

Whether James will retire after the 2025-26 season or play elsewhere seems uncertain. Regardless, don't expect him to be traded in a blockbuster deal.