Three franchises—the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks—are expected to target Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James when his contract ends after the 2025-26 NBA season, according to league sources.
Teams lining up for a 41-year-old superstar
James will turn 41 next summer, yet his 2023-24 averages of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists keep him on the radar of contenders. “Cleveland, Dallas and Golden State, those are the three teams I’m looking at,” an unnamed NBA executive told Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Once he’s on the open market, those three will court him.”
Contract details shape the timeline
The four-time MVP signed a two-year, $101.4 million extension with the Lakers last July and holds a $52.6 million player option for 2025-26, which he exercised in June. Only James and Damian Lillard possess no-trade clauses following Bradley Beal’s buyout with Phoenix, limiting in-season maneuverability.
Signals of a possible Lakers exit
Agent Rich Paul indicated in June that the coming season could be James’s final run in Los Angeles, noting that the Lakers are “building for the future” while the veteran wants each remaining year to matter.
Golden State already tried once
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that the Warriors explored a deadline trade for James in February 2024, hoping to pair him with Stephen Curry. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss rejected the idea, and James did not ask to be moved.
Other potential reunions
A return to Cleveland would mark a third stint with the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2003. Dallas presents another option, where former championship teammates Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are on the roster, though it is unclear whether James would depart Los Angeles—and his son Bronny James—to join a different contender featuring Luka Dončić.
The 2025-26 campaign could therefore serve as a pivotal season, both for the Lakers’ immediate plans and for the next phase of James’s Hall of Fame career.
Source: Basketball Insiders
