The 2025–2026 season will soon begin. Amidst all the excitement, the fresh rumors suggest that LeBron James might be retiring soon. The Los Angeles Lakers allegedly declined to re-sign the star this past summer. James attempted to sign an extension, but his team did not back his initiative during the offseason, according to Bleacher Report’s Yaron Weitzman.
LeBron James enters 23rd NBA season after Los Angeles Lakers decline extension, forcing him to exercise his player option
The Lakers reportedly rejected LeBron James’ request for an extension this summer, thus he was forced to exercise his player option. Yaron Weitzman said in the same article that James was reportedly certain that he wanted to extend his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Earlier this year, though, things did not turn out as planned. He was allegedly forced to exercise his $52.6 million player option as a result. One NBA source familiar with the situation said: “He obviously wanted an extension, and it’s also clear that the Lakers wouldn’t give it to him.”The news was further announced on X by Lake Show Yo and read: “LeBron James reportedly wanted an extension from the Lakers, but they weren’t interested this summer, forcing him to pick up his player option, per @YaronWeitzman.”The Lakers appear to have made the decision to let James make his own decisions going forward. During a recent press conference, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, stated, “The first thing we want to do in terms of LeBron and his future is just give him absolute respect to choose his story with his family in terms of how many years he’s going to continue to play. He’s earned that right, and he’s the best one to talk about that.”Towards the end, Pelinka added, “We would love if LeBron’s story would be to retire as a Laker. That would be a positive story.”Having exercised his 2025-2026 player option, the final season of a two-year, $104 million deal with a no-trade clause, the winger will start his 23rd season in the league. The 21-time All-Star guided the Los Angeles Lakers to the third seed in the Western Conference during last season. This news, though, implies that the Lakers might reportedly lose the NBA legend.
LeBron James weighs retirement as L.A. Lakers grant him full control over his farewell journey
Meanwhile, Lakers officials have recently referred to LeBron’s retirement plans and his future within the organization in a press conference. The comments suggested that LeBron is contemplating the next chapter in his life beyond basketball. Fans and commentators have been talking about this news a lot, with many voicing support and worry for LeBron’s possible choice. Although he hasn’t made a decision on his retirement date, the Lakers organization has granted him complete autonomy over his last decisions and whether or not he wishes to end his career as a Lakers player. James apparently intends to follow in Kobe Bryant’s footsteps and retire rather than follow in Michael Jordan’s footsteps and move out of the team slowly. Bleacher Report’s NBA writer Yaron Weitzman interviewed several league executives who are also close to James. They discussed with James the importance of storylines, his desire to avoid a quiet retirement like Michael Jordan, and his expectation of a farewell tour like Kobe Bryant. Nevertheless, having said that, he hasn’t announced an official date as of yet. Also read: LeBron James’ wife Savannah James shares quirky details in her trending social media video
About the Author
