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LeBron James is entering his 23rd NBA season with uncertainty swirling around his future. The 40-year-old, who turns 41 in December, opted into his $52.6 million player option but did not sign an extension. That leaves him playing on an expiring contract as the Los Angeles Lakers try to balance winning now with preparing for what comes next.
Lakers president and GM Rob Pelinka made it clear Thursday that the organization is ready to commit whenever James is.
“I’ve said before, we would love it if LeBron’s story would be to retire as a Laker. That’d be a positive story,” Pelinka told reporters following the announcement of JJ Redick’s contract extension.
Pelinka added that the front office worked deliberately this summer to give James a competitive team around him, especially after Luka Doncic inked his three-year, $165 million deal.
“Once LeBron opted in, we made sure that they had the necessary pieces around them to be on a really competitive, strong team,” Pelinka said. “We built into that, and for the future, obviously, first things first would be for him to make the decisions he wants in terms of how long he wants to play. We’re going to continue to honor and respect that.”
James has not given much away about his long-term plans. “Based on my conversations, I honestly think they don’t know. As far as I know, he’s honestly going year to year,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently said on The Hoop Collective podcast.
Speculation persists that James could try to extend his career long enough to play alongside his youngest son, Bryce, who begins his freshman season at Arizona this fall and is draft-eligible in 2026. “I think LeBron plays one or two more seasons unless the Lakers win it all next year. Bryce will be eligible for the 2026 draft,” one NBA executive told Lakers Daily. “There are some whispers that LeBron wants to play with him, too.”
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