LeBron James Hasn’t Had Buyout Or Trade Discussions With Lakers

LeBron James hasn’t had buyout or trade discussions with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Joe Vardon and Dan Woike of The Athletic. 

James is expected to remain with the Lakers. 

“In the sections filled with employees from other teams, scouts and executives around the NBA buzzed with speculation about where else James might play, tossing around trade and buyout scenarios that, league and team sources told The Athletic, have never been discussed between James and the Lakers,” Vardon and Woike wrote. 

“Amid the constant speculation recently about his future, both the Lakers and people close to the NBA’s all-time leading scorer expect that he will be with the organization for training camp once the season begins this fall, league sources told The Athletic.

“Those same sources said the Lakers have received no indication from James or his representatives that he would request a trade or ask to be bought out of the final year of his contract, which will be his eighth season with the Lakers, the longest consecutive stretch spent with one organization in his career.”

James has been with the Lakers since 2018. He guided the franchise to the 2020 title against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble. 

Los Angeles acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks last season. The Lakers traded Anthony Davis and Max Christie to get Doncic, who is only 26 years old. 

Despite having James and Doncic, Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. 

James, 40, will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. He made the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. 

A future Hall of Famer, James has a no-trade clause in his contract. The Akron native became the leading scorer of all time during the 2022-23 season.