On Sunday LeBron James exercised his player option to return to the Los Angeles Lakers for at least one more season.

LeBron exercising his player option confirms he will return for a 23rd NBA season however it doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be with the Lakers.

According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, rival executives are “wondering if this was a precursor to a trade request.”

to further add fuel to the speculative fire, James’ agent Rich Paul said via ESPN’s Shams Charania that the future Hall of Famer “will be closely monitoring the Lakers’ moves and whether the team is positioning itself this offseason to field a title-contending roster.”

Additionally Paul added:

“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul said. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.

“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

While this doesn’t confirm that LeBron will leave Los Angeles before the start of the 2025–26 season, it certainly leaves the Lakers and their fans anxious about his commitment. The question remains whether the 23-year-old veteran is dedicated to the Lakers, regardless of the direction the team takes during the offseason. It’s difficult to imagine James, at this stage in his career, staying with a team focused on rebuilding for the future rather than contending for an NBA title this season.