LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers he will play for a different team in the 2026-27 season, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
James will now be an unrestricted free agent for the fourth time in his career, and the first time since 2018, when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Lakers. James made $52.6 million last season as part of a two-year contract he signed with Los Angeles in 2024.
LeBron James inform Lakers about future decision
According to PEOPLE, James' agent, Rich Paul, confirmed the news to ESPN that he has decided to part ways with Lakers.
Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania posted on X, "LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.”
"Lakers president Rob Pelinka and Rich Paul spoke a short time ago about the four-time champion's plans, sources said. James chose to inform the Lakers well before start of free agency tonight out of courtesy and appreciation for their run together, and to allow LA to conduct its offseason business," Charania wrote.
LeBron James journey with Lakers
James, 41, played in 60 games for the Lakers last season, his 23rd in the NBA. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game for Los Angeles.
Though James’s scoring average in 2026 was his lowest since his rookie season, he improved his play in the playoffs, averaging 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 10 postseason appearances.
James led the Lakers to a first-round upset of the Houston Rockets before bowing out to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, all without his co-star Luka Doncic.
James, who will turn 42 in December, is one of the most decorated players in NBA history.
He is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, and four-time regular season MVP.
James has been selected to 22 All-Star teams and has earned 20 All-NBA honors. Last season, James became the oldest player to average at least 20 points per game in the regular season.
James’s tenure in Los Angeles was filled with ups and downs, however.
He signed with the Lakers after his second stint with the Cavaliers, during which James made the Finals four straight times and won a championship in 2016.
In his first season in Los Angeles, James played in only 55 games and the Lakers missed the playoffs.
Lakers team president on LeBron James
The Lakers shared a message from team president Jeanie Buss on X Tuesday, thanking James for his eight years with the team,
Buss wrote, "LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers — including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family."
Where will LeBron James sign in free agency?
The NBA's free agency negotiation window opens up Tuesday, June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, and there will be no shortage of interest in James' services.
The Golden State Warriors are "at the front of the line in pursuit of LeBron James," per NBA insider Marc Stein. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday that the Warriors had a goal to assemble a "big four" of James, Stephen Curry , Draymond Green and Anthony Davis, who currently plays for the Washington Wizards. Despite reports from ESPN's Brian Windhorst that a trade for Davis is now looking less likely, the Warriors remain in pursuit.
There has also been some speculation that James could opt to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers to potentially close out his career with his hometown team, where he played the first seven years of his career and won his third NBA title in 2016.
