LeBron James Breaks Silence on Trade Speculation After Post on Friday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option to return to the Los Angeles Lakers for his 23rd NBA season, most assumed that there would be no more questions about where he would play next.

Like sharks sensing a presence in the water, Rich Paul's cryptic statement that accompanied LeBron James' decision to opt in to his $52.6 million salary for next season led some teams to call the Los Angeles Lakers about the four-time NBA MVP's availability.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, there is another complicating factor. He was asked on "Get Up" if there is a market for James, and he said that there isn't.