'This Is Exactly the LeBron Playbook': Rachel Nichols Speaks on LeBron James’ Actions Amid Trade Speculations

The 2025 NBA offseason hasn’t been a peaceful time for Los Angeles Lakers fans. Yes, they finally acquired a big man, but the deal was overshadowed by perpetual trade rumors surrounding LeBron James. Rachel Nichols believes fans shouldn’t stress too much about LeBron’s situation.

Very few people in sports possess the power LeBron has. Throughout his 22-year career, he has been a focal point in the construction of many teams. The Lakers would’n’t have been able to acquire Anthony Davis if it weren’t for James. And if that deal hadn’t been done, they may not have won the 2020 NBA championship.

The relationship between James and the Lakers appeared to be quite strong. But that’s been in question since the team’s acquisition of Luka Doncic. The franchise now caters to the new Slovenian superstar, and James seems to have fallen by the wayside.

James, along with his agent Rich Paul, has applied pressure on the front office with recent comments hinting at the Lakers superstar’s future. “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,” Paul said to ESPN insider Shams Charania.

Paul is doing his job of creating leverage for James in terms of negotiating, but Nichols doesn’t view it as anything out of the ordinary. “To me, this is exactly the LeBron playbook,” Nichols said on Open Floor. “This is the playbook of LeBron James when he wants to get the team he plays for to do more for him.”

Nichols doesn’t believe James wants to leave the Lakers. He has established a life and a home for himself and his family in Los Angeles. At 40 years old, there isn’t much incentive to endure the difficulties of playing for a new team.

Most importantly, this doesn’t follow the same blueprint as past instances. “When [James] wants to make a change, he much more quietly makes a change. When he finally wanted to leave Cleveland the second time, there was not a bunch of social media posts. He did not say, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m wearing a Dodgers hat. I just like the Dodgers.’ None of that,” Nichols pointed out.

LeBron learned from his mistake on The Decision not to make a big spectacle of his decisions. In an NBA environment where anything can happen — like Luka’s arrival in LA in the first place — Nichols’ assessment seems pretty accurate and should give fans some peace of mind concerning James’ future.

As things stand, LeBron will be a Laker for the upcoming 2025-26 season.