Photo: Getty Images
LeBron James' reported "frosty" relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers could potentially lead to his departure, the Athletic's Jovan Buha claimed on his podcast this week.
“There’s always a chance that LeBron can walk,” Buha said. “As we’ve reported at The Athletic multiple times, and it’s not just my reporting, it’s been [the Athletic colleague] Sam Amick’s as well, the relationship has been a little frosty at times. It hasn’t always been the warmest over the past couple years.”
“I think LeBron’s going to be a Laker next year. It’s just a matter of is he opting in or is he opting out and signing,” Buha added.
James, 40, is due $52 million if he accepts his player's option for the 2025-26 season and has a no-trade clause, but had publicly called out the Lakers' front office after the team was eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first-round of the Western Conference Playoffs, which included referencing his former teammate and veteran big man Anthony Davis being traded to the Dallas Mavericks for superstar guard Luka Dončić.
“No comment,” James said when asked about the Lakers being forced to play small lineups. “My guy AD said what he needed, and then he was gone the following week.”
James was undecided on his NBA future after his team was eliminated from the playoffs.
"I don't know," James said when asked how long he planned to continue playing via ESPN. "I don't have an answer to that. Something I'll sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens. And just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play.
"I don't know the answer to that right now, to be honest. So we'll see."
James took a similar approach entering last offseason before ultimately deciding to return for his 22nd season.
"It's a business," James said when asked how the Lakers could improve for next season after being eliminated in five games via ESPN. "So you don't know what the roster will look like next year besides the guys that [are] locked into contracts. S---, I got a lot to think about myself. So I don't know what the roster will look like. I don't know where I stand right now."
James then clarified that he was referring to his contract, not teasing the idea of playing for another team.
"Just continuing to play, I don't know where I'm at," James said via ESPN. "That's what that is. Not coming back to play here. Just playing, period."
The Akron native averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 assists during his 22nd season. James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a four-time NBA regular season MVP.