Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is exercising his player option for the 2025-26 season and will not become a free agent this summer, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN on Sunday, June 29.
James is due to earn $52.6 million next season and has a no-trade clause in his contract.
‘LeBron wants to compete for a championship,’ Paul told ESPN. ‘He knows the Lakers are building for the future.’
In his 22nd season and at 40 years old in 2024-25, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds and shot 51.3% from the field, 37.6% on 3-pointers and 78.2% on free throws. He made the All-NBA team for a league-record 21st consecutive time.
James could have opted out of the final year of his two-year, $101.3 million contract, entered free agency and signed a three-year, $175.3 million deal or a two-year deal with the Lakers.
He is nearing retirement and has not indicated how many more seasons he has left. He recently said, ‘I can’t play that much further.’
The Lakers acquired star Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 trade deadline and want to make a push for a title with James and Doncic on the roster for an entire season.