LeBron James Predicted to Request Trade From Los Angeles Lakers During 2025-26 NBA Season

NBA legend LeBron James has been predicted to request a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 season.

James has a no-trade clause in his contract. He will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his deal with the Lakers.

“The anointment of Luka Dončic, the failure to reach an offseason extension, the refusal of the front office to go all-in for rotation help this past summer—all of it points to a LeBron James exit,” NBA writer Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report wrote.

James has been with the Lakers since 2018. He guided the franchise to the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat. Los Angeles also reached the 2023 Western Conference Finals, losing to the Denver Nuggets in four games.

The leading scorer in NBA history, James turns 41 in December. He’s the oldest active player in the league.

For the first time in his Hall of Fame career, James is playing on an expiring contract.

“While it’s true James has non-basketball reasons to remain based in L.A., it’s still hard to imagine him accepting status as something other than the most important figure in the franchise for a full year. Especially if the Lakers aren’t a top-flight contender,” Hughes wrote. “Maybe if Los Angeles was loaded with star talent, James could talk himself into accepting a more supplementary role—one that still might evolve into him taking over playoff games in the spring. But the West is loaded, and the Lakers’ decision not to re-up with James suggests they don’t even view him as the second star they want next to Dončić whenever the team reaches contention.

“Some of that is understandable given James’ age, but the facts are what they are: For the first time, James isn’t his team’s most valuable asset, and his organization isn’t gunning for a title at all costs. That’s not going to sit well, and it’ll eventually lead to a trade out of town.”

James finished sixth in MVP voting and made the All-NBA Second Team last season. He’s still one of the top players in the league despite being the oldest player in the association.

It will be fascinating to see if James spends all of next season with the Lakers or requests a trade for the first time in his career.