LeBron James, four‑time champion and NBA’s all‑time leading scorer, wrapped up the 2024‑25 season with averages of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, yet saw his Los Angeles Lakers exit in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
With Los Angeles adding Deandre Ayton to shore up its frontcourt this offseason, speculation has swirled around James’s future and his singular goal: one more title.
As rumors swirl around where James could play next, if not with the Lakers, many fans, analysts and insiders have weighed in, including former Miami Heat teammate Udonis Haslem.
On a Friday episode of “NBA Today,” Haslem was asked about what other teams might make sense for James should he choose to leave, to which Haslem responded, “I mean, he’s talking to Steph. Who going to turn down the chef? If chef cooking up something, I’m showing up for dinner. For sure. That’s for damn sure. If chef cooking, I’m showing.”
James recently exercised his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26, signaling at least another season in LA.
Still, his long‑time agent Rich Paul admitted on ESPN that James “values a realistic chance of winning it all” and that they were “evaluating what’s best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career.”
That candid admission has fueled trade chatter across the NBA, with multiple contenders, most notably the Golden State Warriors, considering offers for the future Hall of Famer.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James “values a realistic chance of winning it all,” per his agent, Rich Paul.
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Warriors, fresh off their blockbuster acquisition of Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, have indeed weighed a move for James.
Windhorst noted that one Eastern Conference executive was “convinced James wanted out of LA,” and Golden State “considered whether to make a trade offer” in hopes of pairing James with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green for what could be a one- or two‑year championship sprint.
Now 40 years old, James must weigh loyalty to the Lakers against the burning desire to hoist another Larry O’Brien Trophy, possibly alongside “Chef Curry.”
