LA Lakers focus on Luka Doncic as LeBron James' future uncertain

LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers remains unclear, despite the Akron star exercising his player option to stay for another season, through the summer of 2026. He will earn $52.6 million next season, but without a long-term contract on the horizon, the possibility of a departure is growing, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The Lakers have not offered a new multi-year deal, focusing on building the team around their newest star, Luka Doncic. Meanwhile, James' agent, Rich Paul, has left the door open for a change:

"We'll evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career."

An exciting return to the Cleveland Cavaliers — the team that gave him his first title — has been mentioned as a possibility. James has a clause that allows him to decide on any transfer, which makes a return to Ohio a possibility. The Cavaliers finished the season as the second-best team in the NBA, but the lack of a leader in the crucial stages cost them the playoffs.

However, experts are skeptical. ESPN's Bobby Marks claims that a trade would require the involvement of several players and potentially three or four teams, making the move very complicated. According to him, only if James were a free agent would this be more feasible.

For now, James remains part of the Lakers, but next summer everything could change.