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LeBron James will be in a new destination when his 24th NBA season begins.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has reportedly told the Los Angeles Lakers he will leave the team in free agency after eight seasons with the organization.
James joined the Lakers in 2018 after another stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he finally brought a championship to the Ohio city.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts during the first half of game five of the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on April 30, 2025. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)
With Los Angeles, James won the 2020 NBA title, his fourth, and passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points scored in NBA history – he’s at 43,440 and counting.
This past season, James, who turns 42 in December, scored a career-low 20.9 points per game, but still managed 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
The Golden State Warriors are reportedly looking to pair James with Stephen Curry, which would turn one of the NBA’s biggest rivalries into two of the game’s biggest stars battling for their fifth title together.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James adjusts his chest during the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Dec. 28, 2025. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
The Cavaliers could also be in the mix, but Draymond Green has already reportedly opted out of a deal to eventually take even less money with Golden State to make room for James.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles will now fully be Luka Doncic’s team. The Lakers acquired him in a blockbuster deal with the Dallas Mavericks last year that is widely considered one of the lopsided trades in league history.
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The Lakers reportedly wanted James back, but the four-time MVP was ready — even with his son, Bronny, on the team. The Jameses became the first father-son duo to not only be teammates in the NBA, but also be active at the same time.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dribbles against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at the Chase Center on Jan. 25, 2025. (Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
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If it’s Golden State, it would be the fourth team for James. He and Curry teamed up at the 2024 Olympics to bring gold back to the United States for the fifth straight time.
