Sources: LeBron James retirement buzz gets louder at NBA Summer League
LAS VEGAS — When LeBron James was spotted with his wife, Savannah, and daughter, Zhuri, in the tunnel of the Thomas & Mack Center ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers' second NBA Summer League game on Saturday, the entire NBA media landscape was sent ablaze amid all the speculation about his future.
Aside from many in the arena rushing to get a snapshot of LeBron, there were plenty who began asking why the 21-time All-Star was in attendance fresh off his vacation in Puerto Rico, especially given all the questions about whether he would remain with the Lakers as he nears his eventual NBA retirement.
For starters, Bronny James is once again headlining the Lakers' Summer League team, and LeBron has consistently prioritized being an exceptional father over everything else. He, Savannah, and the James family have always attended Bronny's games, especially ever since he suffered cardiac arrest in the summer of 2023.
Another key reason why LeBron was in Las Vegas, contrary to popular belief on social media, is that he is still on Los Angeles' roster.
Ever since James opted into his $52.6 million player option, with Rich Paul's not-so-subtle comments about frustrations with the Lakers setting in, his future has been one of the main talking points around the NBA. This noise grew louder on Monday night when LeBron was once again in the building with his family to watch Bronny and the Lakers play.
After emerging from the tunnel, where he shared a moment with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams, James made his way onto the court. There, he was greeted by thunderous applause from the fans inside the Thomas & Mack Center before giving Bronny some pregame words of encouragement.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting to see: how LeBron interacted with his teammates and Lakers executive Rob Pelinka.
All was normal on this front. James was smiling and laughing while talking with Austin Reaves, mainly about his new passion for golf, and all the discourse about LeBron not reaching out to or talking to Deandre Ayton was put to bed when he greeted the team's new center.
Before sitting down with his wife and daughter, LeBron made sure to shake everyone's hand on the Lakers' sideline, including Pelinka at the end of the line. The Lakers executive seemed to be in a great mood when greeting James.
Nothing was out of the ordinary here.
LeBron was clearly having a 'proud father moment' with his family before Bronny and the Lakers played their Summer League game, and his body language did not suggest or tell the tale of a player trying to distance himself from his organization.
Even so, speculation ran rampant online about what all of this meant for James' future, prompting many fabricated and inaccurate 'reports,' if that's what we want to call them, of a trade involving LeBron being close and multiple teams actively reaching out to try and trade for him during Summer League.
Those trade rumors first came up when James opted into his player option, and nothing ever came of them.
The truth behind LeBron James trade rumors
Los Angeles has not entertained any trade talks regarding James to this point, nor has LeBron discussed a potential trade with the Lakers, multiple league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. These 'rumored' trade talks have also been shot down by The Athletic, along with the crazy thought that James could be bought out of his contract.
There was a lot of speculation about the Dallas Mavericks being at the forefront of James trade talks, yet the two sides have not even discussed such a deal, sources said. This notion was first shot down by Kevin Gray Jr. of DLLS Sports.
Other teams that have been connected to James in trade talks previously, like the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, have also held no real trade talks with the Lakers this offseason. The Cavs can't even make a trade for LeBron work, if they wanted it to, since they are the only active second-apron team in the NBA and are not allowed to aggregate salaries.
Although the Warriors have been heavily linked to LeBron in recent years, even going as far as to pursue him before the 2024 NBA trade deadline, there has been zero traction on this front, sources said. If the opportunity became available, Golden State would obviously entertain the thought of pursuing James and pairing him with Stephen Curry at the end of their respective careers.
But that's the thing: James doesn't appear to be going anywhere.
LeBron opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, as any sane person having the opportunity to add this kind of money to their bank account would do, and all indications point in the direction of him honoring his commitment to the Lakers. This is also the widespread consensus from rival teams at NBA Summer League, including those who have inquired about James' trade availability in the past.
Throughout his entire career, James, and specifically Paul, has made sure to be actively involved in the team's plan. Various organizational decisions, especially regarding roster construction, have been heavily influenced by LeBron and his agent. This was true during his time with the Miami Heat, during his two stints with the Cavaliers, and recently with the Lakers.
However, Los Angeles has not operated in James or Klutch Sports' best interest in recent years. If you need any proof of this, just look at the Luka Doncic trade and the fact that the Lakers handed the 26-year-old superstar the keys to the franchise, even though James is still the face of the NBA at 40 years old.
It is clear to see where frustrations have mounted for LeBron and Paul in recent years. Without direct input on roster decisions and the team's overall pursuit of a championship, James has been pushed to the side in a sense by the Lakers.
Naturally, this leads to trade rumors and theories about whether James has played his final game in a Lakers uniform.
Retirement talks surrounding LeBron James intensify
For those hoping LeBron will be traded this offseason or finish his career with another team, you may not want to go all-in on that thought.
Despite there being obvious frustrations, James has always intended to retire as a member of the Lakers, and this remains the franchise's goal as well, league sources said.
Nobody expects James to be anywhere but in Los Angeles by the time the 2025-26 NBA season starts, and there is a sense from some that he would even sign a new contract with the team to ultimately retire with the Lakers, according to ClutchPoints Lakers insider Anthony Irwin.
But that is where the big question of LeBron's eventual retirement has come up at NBA Summer League.
Many around the league are beginning to connect the dots that James may not sign another contract with the Lakers because he may not sign another contract at all. Everyone knows that retirement is on the horizon for LeBron, and multiple agents, scouts, and rival team representatives shared with ClutchPoints that they believe James is gearing up to announce he will retire after the 2025-26 season.
'Haven't we always talked about Year 23 being his last?' one Western Conference scout told ClutchPoints. 'It is clear he isn't happy with the way things are going with the Lakers, and this would be the best time for him to go out on his own terms. Not to mention, we are out here (in Las Vegas), and the worst-kept secret regarding expansion is that LeBron wants in on the team that will be coming here.'
This is the hot discussion around the league right now: Could Year 23 actually be LeBron's final NBA season?
While nobody has a definitive answer to this burning question, the belief at NBA Summer League is that James could realistically make this announcement in the coming weeks as the league enters the dog days of August. ESPN's Dave McMenamin speculated about this possibility on Wednesday, only adding fuel to the retirement fire.
Neither the Lakers nor James and Paul began discussions about a possible extension this offseason. The fact that nobody is bringing up the idea of an extension, plus LeBron telling ESPN that he has 'nothing to talk about' when turning down a live interview during Summer League, is notable.
Hinting at retirement is nothing new for LeBron, as he has been doing so each of the last handful of offseasons. What makes this summer different is that the team's philosophy for winning right now is much different than that of James', and for the first time in years, there is no clarity on what LeBron actually wants.
On the flip side of things, why would James retire, especially considering that he wants to go out on top and compete for a championship?
That is why there are still a handful of league personnel who believe all of this talk is just what LeBron wants to stir the pot a little bit and put pressure on the Lakers to make title-contending moves right now.
LeBron has stated in the past, famously at the 2023 ESPYS, that he will keep playing until he 'can't give it everything on the floor.' Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game, resulting in him finishing sixth in the MVP voting. It is pretty clear that the Lakers star is still giving it his all on the floor.
But does LeBron still want to do this, especially with the Lakers, when other opportunities are coming his way?
Aside from his expected involvement with creating an expansion team in Las Vegas, James has invested himself in a lot of other business ventures. Not to mention, Amazon has also been pushing hard to have LeBron become the face of their NBA coverage once he retires, sources confirmed to ClutchPoints. Front Office Sports first reported on Amazon's long-term interest in James.
With a whole new avenue of life presenting itself to him, perhaps this is the right time for James to go out on his terms. Only time will tell what the league's all-time leading scorer decides.
Related: LeBron James in 1-man club after Bradley Beal's Clippers move
Related: NBA rumors: Cavs, Mavericks, Knicks among teams hoping for LeBron James buyout
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