LeBron James Leaving Lakers Next Season

What Rich Paul told the Lakers

The main point is simple: James intends to play next season, just not in Los Angeles.

That would make the upcoming campaign his 24th NBA season, and possibly his last. The timing gives the decision extra weight. This is not just another star looking for a new address. This is not just another star looking for a new address. It is one of the biggest names in modern sports choosing where the final chapter, or at least the next page, will happen.

James arrived in Los Angeles in 2018 after his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Two years later, he helped deliver the Lakers a championship in 2020, adding another title to a career already packed with historic markers.

Now the partnership appears to be over, with no public timetable yet for his next move.

Where LeBron James could play next

Several possibilities are already floating around the league.

One scenario has James joining the Golden State Warriors, where he would team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Anthony Davis’ name has also been mentioned in the speculation, though the exact shape of any move remains unclear.

Another possibility would carry a different emotional charge: a return to Cleveland. The Cavaliers drafted James No. 1 overall in 2003, and he has already had two separate runs with the franchise. A third stint would instantly become one of the biggest stories in basketball, partly because nostalgia remains undefeated as a sports business model.

For now, nothing is public. The next step could arrive quickly, but James’ camp has not announced where he will play. The next step could arrive quickly, but James’ camp has not announced where he will play.

How James is spending the wait

While the league waits for the next clue, James has reportedly been spending time in northeast Ohio, working out and playing golf.

That detail may sound ordinary, but it fits the moment. James is between teams, not between identities. He is still preparing to play, still staying close to home turf, and still moving through a decision that will shape the NBA conversation before next season even begins.

The Lakers era brought a championship and another major stop in a career built across Cleveland, Miami, Cleveland again, and Los Angeles. Wherever he goes next, the move will not be treated as routine, because nothing around James ever is.

The only firm answer for now is that he is not done playing. He is just done playing for the Lakers.