LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, is returning for a record 24th NBA season. But it won’t be with the Los Angeles Lakers.
James, who will turn 42 in December, has informed the Lakers that he will play elsewhere next season, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. James has not yet decided where he’ll play but decided it was time to move on from his eight-year tenure in Los Angeles, according to the league source, who was granted anonymity to describe deliberations still in progress.
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ESPN first reported James’ decision. James completed his 23rd season by leading the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs despite the team entering the postseason without either Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves, who were both injured.
Late in the season, James embraced a reduced role, becoming the Lakers’ No. 3 option while the team played some of its best basketball of the season in March. In 14 games that month, James shot 56.2 percent from the field, including a 13-of-14 masterpiece against the Rockets on March 18.
Without their star guards, James led a reconfigured Lakers team over the final handful of games in the regular season, first securing the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference before pushing the underdog Lakers past the Houston Rockets in six games.
James finished the season averaging 20.9 points — his 23rd-straight season scoring at least 20 a game — while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He also grabbed 6.1 rebounds and dished out 7.2 assists while adapting to his new role alongside Dončić.
He had 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Lakers’ season-ending playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“We fell a little short obviously, but I don’t, I’m not looking at my year as a disappointment, that’s for damn sure,” James said after the Lakers’ season ended. “I was put into some positions I never played in my career. Actually, in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life.
“So to be able to thrive in that role for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I’ve been accustomed with over my career, over my life, playing a sport and being able to thrive under that, and then just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, that, that was pretty cool for me at this stage in my career.”
James’ run with the Lakers included an NBA championship, a Western Conference finals appearance, an in-season tournament title, three first-round playoff exits, two seasons without a playoff appearance and two years as teammates with his son, Bronny James, whom the Lakers selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
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Last July, before entering the final season of his contract, James’ agent, Rich Paul, issued a statement to multiple media outlets that seemingly opened the door for his exit.
“LeBron knows the Lakers are building for the future, and he also wants to compete for championships,” Paul told The Athletic. “We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie (Buss) and Rob (Pelinka) and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”