LeBron James has now spent nearly as many seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers as he did with his hometown team. Now 41 years old and eligible for NBA free agency this summer, there is a growing belief that he will be playing for another franchise next season.
Lakers reporter Andy Kamenetzky told Jovan Buha said he believes that this is LeBron’s last season with Los Angeles. It’s in part due to the relationship between the Lakers and Klutch Sports, with both sides seemingly ready to be done with one another.
“It feels to me like this is LeBron James’ last season with the Lakers. I feel like the relationship between LeBron and Klutch with the organization, it’s run its course like mutually on both sides. I don’t gather that it’s like hostile or ugly, but it’s felt like both sides have been ready to move on from each other for a couple seasons and neither one just had a better option. At the very least, now the Lakers have a better option with Luka and that’s clearly the exit ramp that they’re going to take.”
Andy Kamenetzky on LeBron James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers
The real signs of friction between Klutch and the Lakers organization became apparent last year when the team traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic without informing LeBron James of the deal. While the future Hall of Famer has embraced being Doncic’s teammate, it has also been evident that there is a changing of the guard in Los Angeles.
This franchise is going to be built around Doncic, with the front office clearing cap space for this summer so they can either land a superstar to pair with the perennial NBA MVP candidate or bring in multiple complementary role players to help him.
A majority of that money is coming from LeBron’s expiring contract—a $52.627 million cap hit this season—and he has never given any indication that he is willing to take a massive pay cut to remain with a contender. Consequently, with Los Angeles unwilling to offer him the salary he seeks, and certainly not the superstar treatment he desires, there is no real incentive for him to wear a Lakers uniform again after this season.
A return to the Cleveland Cavaliers could be on the table, but his former team will not have much financial flexibility. Given his decline in performance and the growing durability issues that have limited his availability, these factors could leave him with a limited market this summer.
