Veteran King: LeBron James Back For Another Lakers Run

The veteran King, LeBron James, is officially back for another run with the Los Angeles Lakers, having opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. This commitment will mark his unprecedented 23rd year in the NBA, showcasing his remarkable resilience and enduring passion for the game.
His agent, Rich Paul, emphasized James’s driving force: the pursuit of an NBA championship. Paul conveyed that James understands the Lakers’ long-term strategy but prioritizes a “realistic chance of winning it all” in the immediate future, reflecting his undiminished competitive fire.
The Lakers organization and James share a deep, appreciative partnership, which Paul described as “a critical part of his career.” The mutual understanding involves making “every season he has left count,” with the Lakers showing full support for James’s ambition to maximize his impact.
Even at 40 years old, James’s on-court performance remains exceptional. In 70 games last season, he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. As the NBA’s career leading scorer, a 21-time All-Star, and a four-time NBA champion, James continues to add to a career that began with his first overall draft selection in 2003.