{"id":790721,"date":"2026-05-12T09:07:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/790721\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T09:07:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:07:27","slug":"lakers-should-let-lebron-james-walk-away-in-free-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/790721\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers should let LeBron James walk away in free agency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Last call, <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-05-10\/los-angeles-lakers-okc-thunder-game-3-commentary-plaschke\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LeBron<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to go home, but you can\u2019t stay here.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s time for the <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lakers<\/a> to turn out the lights on the greatest player in NBA history and begin forging a new future without his stultifying aura and suffocating presence.<\/p>\n<p>If this is no longer <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-05-02\/lakers-lebron-james-leadership-playoff-win-rockets\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LeBron James\u2019 team<\/a>, then it can no longer be his franchise.<\/p>\n<p>If the Lakers really want to build around <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-05-10\/los-angeles-lakers-okc-thunder-game-3-commentary-swanson\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Luka Doncic<\/a>, they can\u2019t do it at a job site still dominated by the NBA\u2019s most venerable cornerstone.<\/p>\n<p>When James becomes a free agent this summer after his $52.6-million deal expires, the Lakers should not offer him a similar contract, a greatly reduced contract, or any kind of contract.<\/p>\n<p>           <video playsinline=\"playsinline\" loop=\"\" preload=\"none\" title=\"For the sake of their future, Lakers should bid farewell to LeBron James\" data-video-id=\"0000019e-19f1-d11e-a1fe-5bfb027a0000\">               <\/video>               <img class=\"image\" alt=\"\"   width=\"473\" height=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778576844_609_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>             <\/p>\n<ul data-element=\"action-bar-menu\" class=\"flex gap-2 list-none  absolute w-full h-10 top-0\">\n<li data-element=\"action-bar-share\" class=\"flex  w-full h-10 top-0 lg:items-center lg:justify-center \">\n<p> Share via     Close extra sharing options  <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If he wants to retire, show him the love. If he wants to keep playing, show him the door.<\/p>\n<p>James finished his 23rd season Monday night unable to drag his shorthanded group past the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, losing for a fourth consecutive game in a <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-05-11\/los-angeles-lakers-okc-thunder-nba-playoffs-game-4-recap\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">115-110 season-ending defeat<\/a> at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n<p>The Lakers were swept for the second time in  four years, and there was nothing James could do about it.<\/p>\n<p>He played decently in the series, but appeared to tire with only one day off between games, and showed he can no longer carry a team for a sustained period.<\/p>\n<p>He seemed wiped out after his heroics won two of four games in the first round against the <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-05-01\/los-angeles-lakers-houston-rockets-game-6-close-out-recap\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">equally shorthanded Houston Rockets<\/a>, his postseason epitomized in the next round by a thunderous Game 3 fast break.<\/p>\n<p>The Thunder had rebounded a missed Lakers layup and <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/player\/1627936\/alex-caruso\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Alex Caruso<\/a> was streaking alone down the court for a layup while the 41-year-old James was wearily walking behind him.<\/p>\n<p>Two days later, at the end of a tense Game 4 on Monday, James exhaustedly faltered again, allowing Chet Holmgren to dunk over him to give the Thunder a lead with 32 seconds remaining, then missing six-foot floater 10 seconds later to essentially end it.<\/p>\n<p>Certainly, James did well here in his eight seasons as a Laker, breaking all sorts of career NBA records while leading the team to a bubble-wrapped title in 2020. He\u2019s still one of the 15 best players in the league, and his last-second, game-tying three-pointer in <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-04-24\/lakers-rockets-playoff-series-game-3-recap-no-austin-reaves\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Game 3 against the Rockets<\/a> proved he is still one of the most clutch.<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Lakers star LeBron James tries to shoot over Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein.\"   width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778576845_590_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Lakers star LeBron James tries to shoot over Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, left, late in the Lakers\u2019 season-ending Game 4 loss in the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.<\/p>\n<p>(Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<p>But he never endeared himself to fans longing for another <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2020-01-26\/lakers-kobe-bryant-obit\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kobe Bryant<\/a>, his cryptic passive-aggressive behavior always making it seem as if he had one foot out the door. And now that the tread on those tires is thin, and the gas in that tank is approaching empty, the Lakers should not feel compelled to give him the sweetheart retirement contract they gave Bryant.<\/p>\n<p>They need more youth, more depth, more athleticism. They need to pay <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-05-06\/show-austin-reaves-money-lakers-might-have-second-thoughts-plaschke\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Austin Reaves<\/a>, they need a center, they need a defender, they don\u2019t need more LeBron, and their fans won\u2019t be clamoring for it.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing is ever certain with him, of course.<\/p>\n<p>At the final buzzer Monday, there arose three questions that could painstakingly stretch into the summer.<\/p>\n<p>Is James going to retire? If not, does he want to stay with the Lakers? If so, do the Lakers want him?<\/p>\n<p>As expected, the elusive James did not address any of the three questions in his postgame news conference Monday night, instead doing what he usually does best in the summer, keeping everyone guessing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know what the future holds for me,\u201d he said, adding, \u201cObviously as it stands right now tonight, I\u2019ve got a lot of time, I\u2019ll sit back &#8230; go back and recalibrate with my family and talk to them &#8230; and when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I\u2019ve decided.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The unanswered answer to the first question appears clear. He is likely not retiring. He seemed to be rejuvenated this season as his son <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2026-04-25\/bronny-james-settling-into-lakers-playoff-role\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bronny<\/a> accompanied him for more minutes and his body stayed relatively strong.<\/p>\n<p>His 33 minutes per game was a career low and his 21 points a game was the lowest since his rookie season 23 years ago, but still \u2026 throw in six rebounds and seven assists and you\u2019d have a stat line that most NBA players would embrace at their peak.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s still damn good. Dude is not quitting.<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"LeBron James scores against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14.\"   width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778576846_66_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>LeBron James scores against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14.<\/p>\n<p>(Gina Ferazzi \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<p>The answer to the second question also seems easy. Yes, James probably wants to stay with the Lakers because his home is here, he\u2019s been raising his family here, and his billion-dollar businesses are based here.<\/p>\n<p>Even though he is not totally beloved here, he surely would value a retirement tour while wearing a Lakers uniform, and would certainly take considerably less money to make that happen.<\/p>\n<p>But how much less? And at what cost to the entirety of the Lakers\u2019 rebuild?<\/p>\n<p>Thus begs the third question. Do the Lakers want him back? Unsurprisingly for an organization that had traditionally made its biggest moves in the dark of night, the answer is unknown.<\/p>\n<p>Rob Pelinka, president of basketball operations and general manager, seemed to make it clear late last summer when, regarding James, he told the media, \u201cIf he had the chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Barely two months later, though, the <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/dodgers\/story\/2025-12-13\/dodgers-fans-appreciate-lavish-spending-on-players\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dodgers\u2019 shrewd ownership group<\/a> bought the Lakers, and who knows what they think?<\/p>\n<p>If Jeanie Buss were still in charge, James would probably already have a gazillion-dollar contract and part ownership. But now that <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2025-06-24\/mark-walter-ownership-lakers-dodgers-tv-sreaming\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mark Walter is running the show<\/a>, all bets are off.<\/p>\n<p>A word of advice for the new group? Do what has made the Dodgers great. Listen to the mantra of co-owner <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/dodgers\/story\/2022-11-06\/stan-kasten-backs-andrew-friedman-and-dave-roberts\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stan Kasten<\/a> when he constantly talks about \u201csustained success.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Will the Lakers take a national image hit by cutting James loose? Probably. Will they immediately win more games next year without him hanging around? Probably not. Are they closer to catching Oklahoma City and San Antonio without him? Not immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Saying goodbye to James is not a move for next year, but for the next five years. After they give Reaves the max $241-million contract, having James off the books will give them much more flexibility and maneuverability to creatively craft for the future and achieve that \u201csustained success\u201d that every sports franchise should covet.<\/p>\n<p>This does not necessarily include trading for the oft-injured <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/player\/203507\/giannis-antetokounmpo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a>. This could mean trading for some other star whose unhappiness in his current situation has not yet been revealed. This could mean a lot of things. With James gone, everything is on the table.<\/p>\n<p>The argument posed by James\u2019 supporters is, who are you going to find that\u2019s better than him? A counter-argument would be, he\u2019ll be 42 next season, and the Lakers should take their chances.<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"LeBron James does his pregame powder toss before Game 1 of the Lakers' first-round playoff series.\"   width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778576847_945_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>LeBron James does his pregame powder toss before Game 1 of the Lakers\u2019 first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on April 18.<\/p>\n<p>(Allen J. Schaben \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<p>As for James, if he would agree to a mid-level exception of between $12 million and $15 million \u2014 a huge and humbling pay cut \u2014 he could go to contenders such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks or the Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n<p>Yeah, Cleveland. LeBron James could end his career where it started, wouldn\u2019t that be starry and sweet? Or he could go up the coast and end his career alongside <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/story\/2024-10-14\/lebron-james-savors-time-as-steph-curry-teammate\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Steph Curry<\/a>. Wouldn\u2019t that be cool? Or he could go to the league\u2019s most famous arena and finish his journey playing in front of Ben Stiller, wouldn\u2019t that be fabulous?<\/p>\n<p>Anywhere but here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Last call, LeBron. You don\u2019t have to go home, but you can\u2019t stay here. It\u2019s time for the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":790722,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[44234,17378,310863,3757,1582,276,2385,52369,1910,314980,3136,19176,2961,8604,5615,224,5337,4158,2452,314981],"class_list":{"0":"post-790721","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-april","9":"tag-austin-reaves","10":"tag-best-of-seven-series","11":"tag-blowout-win","12":"tag-ca","13":"tag-california","14":"tag-day","15":"tag-doncic","16":"tag-game","17":"tag-game-time-decision-wednesday","18":"tag-houston-rockets","19":"tag-injury","20":"tag-la","21":"tag-lakers","22":"tag-lead","23":"tag-los-angeles","24":"tag-losangeles","25":"tag-return","26":"tag-week","27":"tag-western-conference-semifinal"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116560819013495142","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/790721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=790721"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/790721\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/790722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=790721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=790721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=790721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}