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Rumor: Lakers ‘Happy’ LeBron James Is Still With Them

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 4:40 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are “happy” NBA legend LeBron James is still with them.

LeBron picked up his 2025-26 player option with the Lakers. He’ll make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract.

“Whenever you sign a player to a deal with an option, you willingly give them the control to initially guide the situation,” a Lakers front office exec told Keith Smith of Spotrac. “But this notion that a player option gives the player all of the power is pretty silly. If they opt out, the team is then a partner in re-signing them or not. If they opt in, then the team is a partner in whatever happens next too.

“For LeBron, he had a player option and made his decision to opt in. We’re just happy that he’s still a Laker.”

LeBron 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.

LeBron’s future with the Lakers became a hot topic after his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, told NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, “LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career. We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games despite having LeBron and Luka Doncic. Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka has signed Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart this offseason.

Doncic recruited Ayton and Smart to the Lakers.

LeBron is the oldest active player in the league. He made the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting last season.

All signs point toward LeBron staying with the Lakers, who drafted his son, Bronny James, in the 2024 draft. LeBron could retire from the NBA after next season.