Warriors Expecting LeBron James To Remain With Lakers?

As Slater explains, Golden State would be a “willing suitor” for James if he’s not able to reach a deal with the Lakers and would be prepared to make an offer using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which projects to be worth just over $15MM.

If it reaches that point, the Warriors could even include a second-year player option and get Stephen Curry involved in the recruiting process, Slater notes. But the Warriors are currently operating under the belief that the four-time MVP will remain in L.A.

While James will be an unrestricted free agent this summer for the first time since he joined the Lakers in 2018, there has been an expectation that a new deal between the two sides is the most likely outcome, assuming the 41-year-old wants to continue his playing career.

Besides the fact that LeBron and his family are comfortable in Los Angeles, the Lakers hold his Bird rights and have plenty of salary cap flexibility. That means they’re in position to offer him a salary well north of the mid-level exception, even if it comes in lower than the $52.6MM he earned in 2025/26. They could also include a no-trade clause in their offer, which wouldn’t be an option for Golden State, since a player must have spent at least four years with a team before becoming eligible for a no-trade clause.

Appearing on ESPN Cleveland on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Brian Windhorst of ESPN said he believes the Lakers and James have already begun discussing a new contract.

“I think LeBron’s intention is to play, and I think the focus right now is making a deal with the Lakers,” Windhorst said. “Right now he’s allowed to negotiate with the Lakers, and I believe they are negotiating, I believe they’re going back and forth. Free agency begins in 14 days, and in the next 14 days, I think he’s going to try to make a deal with the Lakers.

“The amount of the deal may depend on what else the Lakers might be able to do in free agency. If in 14 days, he is at an impasse with the Lakers and there is no deal there, then I think other teams, like the Cavs, should stand to attention. But the league, I think, generally believes that the two sides are going to come together.”