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By Megan Armstrong
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The Los Angeles Lakers' 2025-26 season will endure as a case of, what if?
What if Luka Doncic hadn't suffered a season-ending hamstring injury against Oklahoma City on April 2?
What if Austin Reaves hadn't been compromised in the playoffs due to an oblique strain?
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Would the Lakers have stretched their historic March into a deep playoff run — possibly even stolen a ring — convincing LeBron James to finish his all-time great career in Los Angeles?
We don't know, and we may never know, but as it is, James, 41, has confirmed that he will not play his NBA-record 24th season for the Lakers.
The Lakers posted a farewell message to James on Tuesday, June 30, thanking him for his eight years in LA.
Two hours later, James responded: "No, THANK YOU! Truly a honor to wear the [purple heart emoji, yellow heart emoji] while trying to continu[e] the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint [prayer hands emoji, salute emoji, crown emoji]."
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Doncic reacted to the news on his Instagram Story, posting a photo with James along with the message, "An honor to play with and learn from you @kingjames."
Earlier Tuesday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported, "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," citing Rich Paul.
After his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James signed with the Lakers as a free agent in July 2018. He won his fourth ring when the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals.
James, a four-time NBA MVP, previously won two championships with the Heat in 2012 and 2013. He collected his third when his Cavaliers became the first team to come back from a 3-1 series deficit to devastate the Golden State Warriors and win the 2016 NBA Finals.
Rumors about possible destinations have swirled for months ahead of James' impending free agency, with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Warriors all in the mix. Of late, however, the Warriors have become the leaders in the clubhouse.
"The Warriors are attempting to trade for Wizards big Anthony Davis and then sign Lakers free-agent forward LeBron James, according to multiple league sources," Yahoo! Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor reported Sunday.
Davis, with whom James led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA title, was shipped off to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the blockbuster trade that landed Doncic in Los Angeles in February 2025.
"Sources say the Warriors hope adding Davis would help lure LeBron from Los Angeles to the Bay Area once free agency officially opens Tuesday," O'Connor wrote. "The pitch would be simple: reunite with AD, team up with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, play for Steve Kerr, and chase one more championship with a roster of legends."
Since that report, Green opted out and became a free agent, which Charania reported was a move to give Golden State "time and space" to make a real run at Davis and James. Now, we wait.
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