LeBron James Has Told The Lakers He Is Leaving And Will Play Elsewhere Next Season

LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not be returning for the 2026-27 season.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, James's agent and one of his closest associates, told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday that James has told the franchise it can move on without him because he will play elsewhere.

He is a free agent. He has not announced where he is going.

James, 41, just completed his eighth season in Los Angeles. He became the NBA's all-time leading scorer as a Laker.

He won his fourth championship with the team in 2020.

He watched his son Bronny get drafted by the Lakers in 2024 and played alongside him, becoming the first father-son duo in NBA history to share a court. And now he is done.

The destination the league has been pointing toward all offseason is Golden State.

The Warriors built their free agency strategy around James, Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option specifically to create room, and the Warriors have been pursuing Anthony Davis in a trade from Washington simultaneously.

Rich Paul represents both James and Green, and the opt-out from Green was widely read as a signal that James was genuinely engaged with the Bay Area possibility.

The Lakers issued a brief statement through the organization thanking James for his contributions and wishing him well.

A full statement from James himself has not been released as of Tuesday afternoon.

He has played 22 NBA seasons. He is leaving the Lakers. At 41, he is apparently not done.