LeBron James might have opted into his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his future with the team has suddenly become one of the big question marks of the 2025 NBA offseason.
Shortly after picking up his player option for next season, James’ agent, Rich Paul, not-so-subtly hinted his client would be monitoring what the Lakers to do while attempting to build a long-term contender. That could mean nothing more happens this summer … or something else.
James might know what he wants to do next. Paul likely would too if that were the case. Meanwhile, James’ eldest son and Lakers teammate, Bronny, pleaded ignorance when speaking with reporters on Wednesday, via ESPN:
“We don’t really talk about it much,” Bronny said. “I think when stuff like that does come up, he just tells me to not worry about it, to not even pay attention to it [and] just lock into what you have going on right now. And that’s what’s going to get me better and to keep me focused. I think it’s good that he tells me to not pay attention to that stuff.”
Bronny, who is preparing for his second campaign with the Lakers’ summer league team, hinted he was more focused on getting ready for the season:
“Obviously, being on the team, I think we’re going to come back even better than we were last year,” Bronny said. “We just got to come in here and come in the gym with a purpose and be ready to work every day and be ready to get better every day.”
Whatever his son says, LeBron’s future with the Lakers is as cloudy as it has ever been in his seven years with the team. It all starts with the Luka Dončić trade, which sent away James’ longtime co-star (and fellow Paul client) Anthony Davis while positioning the Slovenian star as the future of the Lakers. James has never not been the focal point of his team’s present and future.
The Lakers have additionally been relatively inactive in free agency. They took a big step by landing former Portland Trail Blazers center DeAndre Ayton on Wednesday, finally filling their hole at center, but bench forward Jake LaRavia has been their only other real addition.
Meanwhile, starting forward Dorian Finney-Smith just left for the Houston Rockets. Los Angeles could theoretically add more, but there was also a report it’s trying to preserve cap space for the 2027 offseason.
All of that adds up to a very curious position for the elder James, who will be attempting to maximize his chance at a fifth ring with every season he has left in the NBA. As for Bronny, he remains under Lakers control through the 2027-28 season, thanks to that four-year deal he got out of the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
