Is LeBron James leaving the Lakers? Full offseason timeline amid questions about star's future in L.A.

It's been an interesting offseason for LeBron James and the Lakers.

James, 40, is in the twilight of his career, but the offseason has come with an unexpected amount of speculation around whether James will spend his 23rd NBA season in Los Angeles. The 2024-25 season was James' seventh in the purple and gold, and though it included a shocking move to acquire superstar Luka Doncic, their run ended with a first-round exit.

As the franchise's priority shifts from building around a 40-year-old James to supporting a 26-year-old Doncic, there has been an increase in reports and statements that suggest James could want to finish his NBA career elsewhere.

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What can be made of the rumors around James? Here is an up-to-date timeline of reports and relevant news about James' Lakers future.

Is LeBron James leaving the Lakers?

James is under contract with the Lakers for at least one more season, but offseason conversations suggest that he may want to play elsewhere in 2025-26.

Here is a timeline of the latest news and rumors relating to his future.

June 29: The first notable news was James' decision to exercise his player option for the upcoming season, something he had not done before in his career. Accompanying James' decision was a somewhat ominous statement from his agent, Rich Paul, who spoke on his client's immediate future.

LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.

We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him.

July 2: Amid rumors of a potential third stint with the Cavaliers, James shares a photo of himself golfing in Ohio while wearing a cap that reads "Welcome Home."

July 4: James takes to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to a post highlighting that he was at the Cavaliers training facilities, saying, "And every summer since it was built. I live here still and train every summer. Got damn yall bored man! Go get a plate of food somewhere and enjoy the 4th of July!"

July 8: ESPN's Brian Windhorst says, "LeBron absolutely knows that he will cause a wave with these social media things," adding that "By doing what he's doing, he is absolutely poking the bear... by the way, the Lakers are being passive aggressive back at LeBron."

July 11: ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst report that the Lakers had dinner with Luka Doncic four days after they were eliminated from the playoffs, in part to show the public that the Lakers were now Doncic's team. That report also claims that all of James' behavior, mainly the cryptic social media posts, are all intentional.

"Nothing LeBron does is a coincidence," a source told ESPN.

July 12: ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports four teams contacted Rich Paul about potentially trading for James. However, Paul maintains that James has not asked to be traded and hasn't discussed a possible trade with the Lakers.

MORE LEBRON JAMES NEWS

• What LeBron James' rare contract opt in means for his future in Los Angeles
• Which four NBA teams could be the best landing spot for LeBron James?
• LeBron James downplays Cavs trade rumors after visiting team facility

Timeline of Lakers 2025 offseason moves

Welcome home, Deandre and Jake 💜 pic.twitter.com/V2U56EnrFX

Los Angeles has not been idle this offseason — the team has made three notable moves to address needs.

The most notable move does not involve on-court personnel directly, as businessman Mark Walter struck a deal to purchase a majority stake of the franchise from the Buss Family on June 19. With Walter, the owner of MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers, soon to assume more ownership responsibilities, there is speculation that L.A. may be freer in its willingness to accrue salary cap penalties.

Here is what the Lakers have done so far:

• June 26: Lakers trade up to select Arkansas' Adou Thiero 36th overall in the NBA Draft. Thiero, 21, is an athletic 6-8 forward who addresses LA's need for more youth and athleticism on the roster.
• June 30: Lakers agree to terms of a two-year contract with free agent Jake LaRavia. LaRavia will be 24 next season and is a career 37.1 percent 3-point shooter who fits the mold of a 3-and-D wing that thrives next to James and Doncic.
• July 2: Lakers reach agreement with Deandre Ayton on a two-year deal with a second-year option. Ayton addresses Lakers' need for a starting-caliber center and is expected to benefit from their superstars' playmaking.

MORE OFFSEASON NEWS

• How free-agent signing Deandre Ayton fits with LeBron James, Luka Doncic
• Why the Knicks are making Mike Brown their next head coach
• What Damian Lillard's release means for Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Grading the Michael Porter Jr.-Cam Johnson swap between Nuggets, Nets

LeBron James contract

This offseason, James exercised a $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.