ESPN Insider Addresses Trade Move That 'Doesn't Make Sense' for LeBron James originally appeared on Athlon Sports. LeBron James picked up his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, but his decision only fueled speculation about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James opting into his player contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, followed by a statement released by his agent, has fueled trade and buyout rumors for the last week. He wants the best possible chance to compete for a championship, and even though the Lakers now have Luka Doncic, the rest of the roster is discombobulated, at best.

LeBron James becoming available has, typically, been a seismic NBA event. Teams famously spent the several years leading up to his 2010 free agency clearing cap space. Pretty much all league business halted for the first 11 days of July in 2014 as teams schlepped across the country first to Cleveland and then,