LeBron James Still Monitoring Los Angeles Lakers’ Moves Amid NBA Trade Rumors

LeBron James is still monitoring the Los Angeles Lakers’ moves, according to NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

LeBron wants to compete for a championship next season. The leading scorer in NBA history turns 41 in December and will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018.

“I’m told that the statement that Rich Paul gave to Shams Charania back in June when LeBron opted in still stands,” McMenamin said. “That LeBron and his representatives will be monitoring the Lakers’ moves that they make because they recognize that there’s only a very limited amount of time left in his career and he wants to be competing for championships.”

The Lakers have signed Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart this offseason. Luka Dončić recruited Ayton and Smart, while Austin Reaves recruited LaRavia.

Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. LeBron and the Lakers haven’t gotten back to the NBA Finals since 2020. King James won his fourth title and fourth Finals MVP that year against his former team, the Miami Heat.

A future Hall of Famer, LeBron can leave the Lakers by requesting a trade. He has a no-trade clause in his contract. As of this writing, there have been no trade or buyout talks between LeBron and Los Angeles.

A four-time MVP, LeBron has been with the Lakers since 2018. His tenure in Los Angeles has been up and down, but LeBron has put up stellar numbers, averaging 26.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks in a Laker uniform.

The Lakers 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.