LeBron James sows serious doubts about his Lakers future with bold answer to a reporter
Shared his thoughts on his player option this summer
LeBron James addressed his future to a Lakers reporterAP
In the midst of an inconsistent season, LeBron James has been the center of attention regarding his plan for the future with the Los Angeles Lakers
When asked about his impending contract situation of a player option this summer, James raised major doubt with his response.
He has a player option for the 2024-2025 season with the Lakers worth $51.4 million, which he must decide whether or not to exercise at the end of this season.
When asked directly on Saturday by Dave McMenamin of ESPN if he knew what he would do with the player option, the 39-year-old gave a short and spiky response that heightened doubt over his future by offering little clarity.
“No,” he said bluntly.
His decision may hinge on how long the season actually lasts. Even after two huge wins against the Celtics and Knicks, the Lakers are still on the playoff bubble, ranked 9th in the Western Conference at 26-25.
“He’s gonna sign with USC,” a fan joked on Instagram under the video, referencing his dream to play with Bronny James.
LeBron’s camp addresses rumors
The focus has shifted to the player option in King James‘ contract because any hint of a trade is off the table.
Earlier in the weekend, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported that longtime agent Rich Paul confirmed James “won’t be traded” and that he is not asking for one from the Lakers.
The interview with the Lakers star, which came shortly after the no-trade news, showed that LeBron clearly has no interest talking about his critical decision yet. But the fact that he doesn’t know what he’ll do is news in itself, and does not bode well for the up-and-down Lakers and their chances of keeping their centerpiece around if the season doesn’t end on a high note.
