Rich Paul urges people to ‘appreciate the present’ with Lakers’ LeBron James

Heading into his 23rd NBA season, Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James, through his agent, Rich Paul, says he’s focused on the 2025-26 campaign. Paul says the present is imperative for James, which suggests the upcoming season could determine James’ future with the Lakers as he enters the final season of his two-year, $104 million contract, worth $52.6 million.

Paul says maximizing James’ supporting cast is in the Lakers’ best interest, he said, via ESPN’s Shams Charania on NBA Today.

“Seeing how this year plays out, it’s clear he’s not sure whether he has one year left. Does he have another season after that, 2026-27? I did speak to his agent, Rich Paul, at Clutch Sports today. And he told me it’s important not to worry about the future when it comes to LeBron James,” Charania said. “Just appreciate the present and also maximizing his present. And that, obviously, that onus, potentially falling on the Lakers, and what team they put around him.”

How the Lakers fare in a competitive Western Conference led by the champion Oklahoma City Thunder should determine what’s next for James. However, his second son, Bryce James, could also factor into whether James plays beyond next season, albeit with the Lakers or elsewhere, Charania added.

“It’s obvious. How does he feel about the Lakers going into the season as the year continues on? Can they be a contender moving forward? And I think the other thing that also sits here as well is Bryce James is going to start his freshman year at college,” Charania added. “How does he look? How does he look as a prospect? How does he play into the 2026 NBA Draft? These are all things, I think, LeBron James is going to be reminded of.”