NBA superstar LeBron James to leave Los Angeles Lakers

NBA star, LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will be leaving in free agency to finish out his NBA career elsewhere.

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According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul said James has informed the Lakers that the franchise can move forward without him because he intends to continue his NBA career elsewhere this coming season.

“LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere,” Charania wrote Tuesday, citing Paul.

The 41-year-old James, who joined Los Angeles in 2018, averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals since joining the Lakers as a free agent in 2018.

James had a Hall-of-Fame-worthy run with the Lakers: Eight-time All-Star; seven-time All-NBA honoree, NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP in 2020; and NBA Cup champion in 2023.

He also surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time regular-season scoring record (38,387) on Feb. 7, 2023, now sitting at 43,440 regular-season points scored after an unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

James ended his second tenure with the Cavaliers and signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Lakers during the 2018 offseason.