LeBron James isn’t asking out of Los Angeles, at least not yet.
The 40-year-old locked in for a 23rd NBA season after picking up his $52.6 million player option, but speculation hasn’t stopped swirling around his long-term future with the Lakers. With the front office still under pressure to build a contender, some around the league have wondered if a trade request could be next.
James’ longtime agent Rich Paul put that talk on ice, but not without raising a few eyebrows in the process, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“[Rich Paul] told me that he has not had any discussion with the Lakers about wanting a trade,” McMenamin said on SportsCenter. “He did say that four teams have contacted him in the last 24 hours wanting to talk trade, but Rich didn’t have any substantiative conversations with those teams, either.”
“[Rich Paul] told me that he has not had any discussion with the Lakers about wanting a trade.”@mcten shares that Rich Paul has not had any “substantiative” conversations with any teams about trading LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/XpnpPVFnQq
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 30, 2025
James remains focused on chasing a fifth ring, but his camp is watching closely as the Lakers attempt to retool around him and Luka Doncic.
“LeBron is focused on playing on a championship-caliber roster,” McMenamin added. “We’ll see in a week from now, when Rob Pelinka is finished doing his work with this roster, if it looks like a winning, realistic situation.”
That pressure comes after a first-round playoff exit and growing concern that L.A. may not have the financial flexibility or trade assets needed to build a serious title threat.
With the Lakers’ offseason moves still in flux, any movement around James would likely hinge on what happens over the next few weeks.
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