LeBron James is set to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and enter free agency, with plans to continue his career into a record-setting 24th NBA season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first broke the news, with LeBron’s agent Rich Paul announcing that his client is ready to move for a final chapter elsewhere.
The decision marks the end of an eight-year run in Los Angeles and signals a final episode in LeBron’s soon-to-be 24-year NBA career, with the forward already being the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“BREAKING: 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, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.” — Shams Charania
James, who will turn 42 in December, informed the Lakers that he intends to play elsewhere next season, continuing a career that has already spanned more than two decades at the highest level.
James averaged 20.9 points per game — extending his streak to 23 consecutive seasons with at least 20 points — while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He also contributed 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, helping guide Los Angeles to the second round of the playoffs.
This story will be updated…
