LeBron James Has Been in ‘Constant Communication’ With Los Angeles Lakers This Offseason Amid NBA Trade Rumors

NBA legend LeBron James has been in “constant communication” with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

LeBron has not had any trade or buyout talks with the Lakers.

“James is locked into preparing for the 2025-26 season, and that is proven by his constant communication with members of the Lakers organization, multiple league sources told ClutchPoints,” Siegel wrote. “Throughout the offseason, amid trade, buyout, and retirement speculation surrounding the future Hall of Famer, LeBron has been talking with several members of the team’s staff. He never once cut off communication with the team, and James is devoted to winning in Los Angeles, sources said.”

LeBron will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season for the first time since 2018.

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games despite having LeBron and Luka Dončić. Los Angeles lost Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets on the first day of free agency this offseason, but the franchise rebounded by signing Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart.

Dončić, who signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers on August 2, recruited Ayton and Smart to Los Angeles.

LeBron has been with the Lakers since 2018. His tenure in Los Angeles has been filled with ups and downs, but LeBron has put up excellent numbers, averaging 26.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks in a Laker uniform.

Here is how the Lakers have done in the LeBron era: Los Angeles missed the playoffs in 2019, won the championship in 2020, lost in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, missed the playoffs in 2022, lost in the Western Conference Finals in 2023 and lost in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.

LeBron, 40, remains an elite player. He made the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. The Akron native turns 41 in December. He’s the oldest active player in the league.