After exercising his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26, rumors started to swirl that James' time with the Lakers may be coming to an end soon. The veteran superstar has yet to put those notions to rest, notably declining an interview while watching Summer League action in Las Vegas. However, reports indicate that James and the Lakers have not discussed a potential trade or buyout, and it'd be a short list of teams that could acquire him in either instance without massive tax implications. For now, it appears James will run it back in Los Angeles after earning All-NBA Second-Team honors last season. The mid-season blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic has completely altered the Lakers' outlook, and they made two more impactful moves this offseason to fit their new timeline, signing Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. The latest arrivals, along with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, are under contract through the 2026-27 campaign, which could make it difficult to re-sign James. On the court, James is still putting up strong numbers, though his 24.4 points per game last season was a career low. He's played in at least 70 regular-season matchups in back-to-back seasons, marking the first time he's cracked that plateau since appearing in all 82 during his final season in Cleveland (2017-18). There are plenty of warranted concerns when taking a player heading into their age-40 season, but James has defied Father Time before, finishing outside the top 20 in eight-category leagues only three times during his 21-year career.