Why LeBron James leaving Lakers in NBA free agency is a realistic proposition
LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, may have spilled the beans on his marquee client's offseason plans. While appearing on TNT's alternate stream during Game 2 of the Dallas Mavericks-Minnesota Timberwolves Western Conference finals series, Paul said James will be a free agent this summer. That created quite a stir online as the four-time NBA MVP has a player $51.4 million player option.
James has until Jun. 29 to decide whether he wants to opt into it and commit to his stay in LA for another season or opt out and become an unrestricted free agent. The 39-year-old has historically kept his free agency plans under wraps in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 offseasons.
However, Rich Paul seems to have broken that streak. That said, James opting to become an unrestricted free agent allows him to choose his next landing spot and open conversations with teams around the league.
The Lakers remain the frontrunners to retain his services, but several factors make it a realistic possibility for him to leave LA this summer.
3 reasons LeBron James leaving Lakers in NBA free agency is a realistic proposition
There are too many basketball, business, and family-related reasons why LeBron James should stay in LA until retirement. At 39, James has seemingly settled his family there and developed several ventures, which he will attend to after retiring, making the city the ideal place for him to continue his life beyond retirement.
But James, who turns 40 later this year and is entering his 22nd, still has the competitive fire in him to not settle for meaningless basketball at the tail end of his illustrious career. Playing a Lakers career-high 71 games in a season, averaging 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists a game, shooting a career-high 41.0% from, sums up James' motivation to win.
These factors could play into James wanting to move out at this stage of his career. On that note, here's a look at three compelling reasons why leaving the Lakers is a realistic proposition for him.
#1 Lakers' roster construction
The Lakers need a much better supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Since the ill-advised Russell Westbrook trade in 2021, LA hasn't built a roster good enough to storm through the regular season.
The Lakers hoped to do that after retaining the core that helped them reach the 2024 Western Conference finals, but it wasn't enough. While injuries played a part in it, the inconsistency from the role players also doomed the Lakers. On top of that, LA didn't address specific needs in the 2024 offseason that led to its series sweep loss to Denver.
Simply put, LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing 70+ games each should've earned a better outcome in the 82-game season than another play-in tournament finish.
But not adding a reliable center to back Davis, overlooking the need for a top 3-and-D wing and replacing D'Angelo Russell with a more athletic and lengthy guard as the point of attack defender came to bite the Lakers in the playoffs against Denver again.
If James declines his player option on Jun. 29, he will have the time to consider whether the Lakers have got him an adequate supporting cast and take a call on his future accordingly.
#2 Lakers' coaching search
Along with not getting a suitable roster to compete against the league's best, the Lakers saw Darvin Ham get outcoached consistently. Ham came in with high expectations into his sophomore season, but ineffective rotation and lineup decisions that he stuck with for 50 games played an equal if not more part in the Lakers' settling for another play-in tournament finish and an eventual first-round exit.
The Lakers may not have had the tools to get past the conference finals had they faced Denver, but a bit of fortune like the Dallas Mavericks, who finished fifth and avoided the Nuggets in the first two rounds, is what the Lakers needed. Dallas is up 2-0 in the conference finals against Minnesota, a team LA also could have matched up well against.
Had Ham turned to the lineup with Rui Hachimura starting earlier in the season instead of Game 51, the Lakers may have earned a better seeding and potentially paved a path like the Mavericks, who are on their way to the finals.
Considering how things went under Ham's tenure, the Lakers' coaching search this summer will significantly contribute to how LeBron James views the team's chances of winning. According to Rich Paul, James is not getting involved in the coaching search, so the onus is entirely on Rob Pelinka and the owners to get the right man for the job who James can trust.
The Lakers are reportedly coveting JJ Redick, James' podcast co-host for "The Mind Game." However, Redick is not who the Lakers need. LA would be better off with a veteran and experienced coach who has been in a tense environment. Signing Redick would probably be the most experimental decision, which is not advisable for a contending team.
#3 An Eastern Conference return
Winning another championship could significantly switch the "Greatest of All-Time," aka "GOAT" debates in LeBron James' favor. But that may not be possible with the Lakers, especially if they fail to address their roster needs and sign the ideal coaching candidate.
The Western Conference was a bloodbath this season and is only expected to get more competitive next year. There could be as many as 13 playoff contenders and four championship contenders. The Lakers, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are coveting to be among the championship-caliber teams, heading into their sixth season together.
If that's not a realistic possibility in LeBron James' eyes because of poor roster construction and irrational coaching hire, it could prompt a return to the East, where the competition is significantly downgraded.
The Indiana Pacers, merely expected to make the playoffs, have reached the conference finals but are about to get swept by the Boston Celtics. With teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers looking for a push to topple Boston off the East summit, James has intriguing options to look at and have a better shot at winning another title.
Unlike other Western Conference contenders, these three teams have also shown interest at various junctures in acquiring LeBron James.