LeBron James will exercise his $52.6 million option and return to the Los Angeles Lakers for his record-setting 23rd NBA season in 2025-26, his agent Rich Paul said Sunday.
James could have taken a pay cut to help the Lakers add free-agent talent to their roster in pursuit of a championship, but reportedly declined.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. 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.
“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.”
The 40-year-old James will set the NBA longevity record next season, breaking a tie with Vince Carter for the most seasons played. He can also break Robert Parrish’s record for most regular season games if he plays another 50 games.
James has already set the NBA record for most points scored in the regular season, breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 38,387 points on Feb. 7, 2023. He broke Abdul-Jabbar’s regular-season career minutes record last season with 57,447.
James, who entered the NBA as an 18-year-old straight from high school in 2003, signed with the Lakers as a free agent in the summer of 2018, after winning two NBA championships with the Miami Heat and a third with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
He led the Lakers to an NBA championship in 2020 and a Western Conference finals appearance in 2023, but other seasons have been disappointing, including first-round playoff losses to the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively, in the last two seasons.
The Lakers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.