The Los Angeles Lakers is the third franchise of LeBron James’ legendary 23-season NBA career. King James has turned into the face of the team since he joined the team.
However, this past offseason questions surfaced about whether James would continue his journey in Los Angeles. With speculation swirling around the league, LeBron ultimately opted into the player option on his contract to remain with the Lakers.
Despite that decision, it appears the story behind the scenes was far more complex. According to NBA insider Scoop B Robinson, LeBron’s longtime agent Rich Paul explored serious possibilities elsewhere during the offseason. Robinson reported that Paul held what were described as “very real” conversations with four teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors, regarding James’ future.
“I’ve been told by multiple high-level league sources that the rumors regarding a potential LeBron James trade over the summer weren’t just “smoke” or typical off-season filler. They were, in the words of those involved, “very real,’” Robinson wrote.
Rich Paul had “very real” conversations with the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Clippers and Warriors about LeBron James in the offseason, per Scoop B Robinson 👀
“…the rumors regarding a potential LeBron James trade over the summer weren’t just “smoke” or typical off-season filler.… pic.twitter.com/I2uHVPIn3g
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) January 2, 2026
“Of the four teams mentioned, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain the most intriguing “what if.” During my chat with the team at Big Play Cleveland, we dived deep into what a second return would look like.”
LeBron originally joined the Lakers as a free agent in the summer of 2018. After joining, he instantly restored championship expectations to the historic franchise. He delivered on that promise two years later, guiding Los Angeles to the 2020 NBA title.
Jake LaRavia Remain in Awe of LeBron James’ Year 23 Dominance
Following the Lakers’ 128–121 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Lakers forward Jake LaRavia reflected on what it’s like to witness LeBron James still controlling games deep into his 23rd NBA season.
“It’s fun to watch,” LaRavia said. ‘He’s been doing it for so long and, you know, I played against him for two years and now to be on his team, just watching him do it, still controlling the game, you know, in his 23rd season, it’s really cool to watch and he does such a great job at not only scoring baskets, but also connecting and making the right play every time.”
What LeBron continues to accomplish at 41 years old remains almost impossible to comprehend. On Friday night against Memphis, he delivered another historic performance, posting 31 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. With that scoring output, James officially surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points ever scored by a 41-year-old in NBA history.
