The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the second round of the NBA postseason after a surprise run without superstar Luka Dončić, but they have now been eliminated after getting swept by the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Now, all eyes are focused on the future of LeBron James.
With the potential new tanking rules approaching, The Athletic’s Sam Amick notes that teams may shift their attention toward building through trades and free agency as early as this summer. That leads to the biggest question of the offseason: what will James do?
NBA Insider Sam Amick Shares ‘Major Question’ Surrounding LeBron James’ Lakers Future
What to do with James and Austin Reaves are the two biggest decisions Los Angeles will face this offseason.
James is an unrestricted free agent, while Reaves has a player option worth $14,898,786 for the 2026-27 season and will almost assuredly opt out to become an unrestricted free agent after averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game this season.
Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Maxi Kleber, and Jaxson Hayes are also hitting free agency, while Deandre Ayton ($8,104,000 player option) and Marcus Smart ($5,390,700 player option) can also hit the open market if they opt out. Still, as Amick notes, the focus this offseason will be on James’ future.
“If you would have asked me in December how it was going and what his future might hold with the Lakers, it felt like they had unofficially divorced already,” Amick explained. “That changed.”
All eyes are on LeBron James now that #LakeShow has been swept out of the #NBAPlayoffs — will he retire? Stay in Los Angeles? Head somewhere else?#NBA pic.twitter.com/pgT65ZQwgG
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) May 12, 2026
Amick noted that James was willing to be the third option during the regular season, and then the Lakers had a stellar 15-2 record in March. Once Dončić and Reaves got hurt, James showed he could still be the “alpha” in Los Angeles with superb play down the stretch and in the postseason. Now, there’s some excitement about what a Big Three of James, Dončić, and Reaves can do if they stay healthy.
“The door is open for a Lakers return but it’s just a major question about the finances and making the numbers work,” Amick stated. “The Lakers want to have a balanced roster and want is not even a strong enough way of putting it. They need. They told They told Luka when he came to town, ‘We will build a contending, balanced, two-way roster around you that’s somewhat similar to the one you took to the Finals in Dallas a couple years back.’
“That’s where the LeBron and Austin situations get tricky because the price point might be the sort of thing that leads to a divorce. Then, of course for LeBron, you wonder is he actually willing to move out of LA and do something in Cleveland or do something in Golden State. We’ll have to wait and see.”
To Amick’s point, the money is the big question. The Lakers currently have $106,503,925 committed on their books for next season. Rob Pelinka and Co. will have to decide how much they want to spend on James and Reaves versus finding other ways to upgrade the roster.
If James decides to leave Los Angeles, he would likely have to take a significant paycut since the teams he’s often linked to already have large payrolls for next season, including the Cleveland Cavaliers ($218,072,505) and Golden State Warriors ($182,837,620).
As for the timeline, Amick expects James to discuss his future with his family over “the next week or so.” Amick thinks retirement is unlikely, but he didn’t rule it out completely. Then, if he does decide to return for a record 24th NBA season, we won’t get clarity on his next team until free agency negotiations can begin on June 30, 2026, at 6 p.m. ET.
James clearly showed that he’s still capable of producing at a high level. After starting the season injured, he still averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 51.5% from the floor. During the playoffs, James contributed 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 3s, and 1.3 steals per game. He turned heads in the first round by carrying the shorthanded Lakers past the Houston Rockets.
Now, as has often been the case for two decades, the rest of the league awaits James’ decision.
