Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[Jmaciscool]

The reason this LeBron thing won't go away is that he opted in, rather than out to sign his customary 1+1. Reading the tea leaves there:

We can reasonably assume he did so because they, the Lakers, were not offering the 1+1. I suppose it's possible that he did so because he's already determined that this is his last season, but knowing what we know about him, and based on last week's Rich Paul kerfuffle, I don't think so.

From there, we can basically assume that this WILL be LeBron's last year in a Lakers uniform, whether he retires or not. If he decides this is his last season, that's probably only mildly annoying to him because he loses a little bit of face in that it's rather obvious that he's not the only one making the decision on when/if he exits the Lakers, but it's still probably best for him to retire a Laker hero, setting up and continuing whatever it is he's got going out there in LA for after basketball (the reasons he went there in the first place, really).

But, if he decides he wants to play another season after this one, or maybe even two more...that's where it gets interesting. If he is going to retire wearing a different jersey, he's going to want to get there as soon as possible, imo, while he's still "LeBron James" on the court. However, it IS a big leap to assume the Lakers will buy him out, just as a thank you. It wouldn't be shocking, really, but they'd really, really have to want to be perceived as the good guys in the situation. There really wouldn't be anything else "in it for them," other than maybe just getting the circus that has been the LeBron James Lakers era behind them. And make no mistake, they are in for a circus of a season if he's a Laker this year.

End of day, I think he's a Laker for one more season and then retires. But part of me thinks his competitive nature will push back against the idea that they, not he, get to decide when he's done. After the Luka trade and MIL stretch-waiving Dame, I don't think anything happening in the NBA will ever shock me again.

I agree that it's unlikely he gets bought out, but I can see it happening IF the Lakers are truly ready to be out of the LeBron circus AND they're ready to fully transition to the Luka era AND the reports of their being no trade market for LeBron are accurate.  None of those things seem super far fetched on their own.  The Lakers have to pay the money either way, so maybe to them it would be worth it just to move on, especially with the new ownership coming in.  Fresh start for everyone (relatively speaking).