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Rumor: Lakers’ Preferred Scenario Is For LeBron James’ Contract To Drop Off Their Books After Next NBA Season

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 1:12 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers’ preferred scenario is for LeBron James‘ contract to drop off their books after next season, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

LeBron will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract.

“I believe that, as August draws near, LeBron James is going to be at his eighth Lakers training camp in a row come late September, which would represent the longest continuous stretch with one team in his Longevity GOAT career,” Stein wrote. “He has not asked for a trade this offseason. He has not asked for a buyout. He also surely knows that asking for one or the other doesn’t automatically ensure that either scenario will materialize.

“I believe that forecast is the right one because James understands the dynamics of #thisleague as well as any player ever has. And I think he knows, deep down, that the threat of him leaving Lakerland next summer is no threat at all now. It was a worry for every team he played for through the first 22 seasons of his career, but the Lakers’ widely presumed preferred scenario for their future is letting James’ contract drop off their books after the 2025-26 season. Rich Paul’s statement upon announcing the player option decision, which is featured in full further down, essentially hints at this understanding if you read it carefully.”

The Lakers are Luka Doncic‘s team now. Doncic is only 26, while LeBron turns 41 in December.

The leading scorer in NBA history, LeBron joined the Lakers in 2018. He guided the franchise to the 2020 championship against his old team, the Miami Heat, at the Walt Disney World bubble.

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. Doncic recruited Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, while Austin Reaves recruited Jake LaRavia.

Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick is expected to start Doncic, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron and Ayton next season, which will likely be LeBron’s last campaign in Los Angeles.