The NBA’s all-time scoring leader LeBron James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 2024-25.
LeBron James is exercising his $52.6 million option with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2025-26, further confirming that he will become the first player in NBA history to play a 23rd season, per multiple reports. James had until June 29 to opt in or opt out of his contract.
Breaking: Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James is opting into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN.
Paul adds: LeBron "knows the Lakers are building for the future … but he values a realistic chance of winning it all." pic.twitter.com/q5mT1O2R35
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
BREAKING: LeBron James has exercised his $52.6 million player option to remain with the Lakers for his 23rd NBA season, a source tells @joevardon and @danwoikesports. pic.twitter.com/PIPdiuHtGp
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 29, 2025
James, who recently returned to on-court workouts after taking several weeks to recover after spraining a knee ligament in the Lakers’ final game of this past season’s playoffs, told the AP earlier this month that he expected to be ready for training camp. That was an obvious sign he planned on returning for a 23rd year, one in which he’ll break a tie with Vince Carter for longest NBA career by a player.
“I have a lot of time to take care of my injury, my knee, the rest of my body and make sure I’m as close to 100% as possible when training camp begins in late September,” James said in that interview.
If any doubt existed even after that about James, the NBA’s oldest current player, coming back for at least one more season, it’s gone now. He had until Sunday afternoon to make his decision on the option, one that pushes his career on-court earnings to about $580 million.
James’ agent, Rich Paul, spoke with ESPN and said his client will be paying close attention to the team’s roster maneuverings during the offseason.
“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.”
This coming season will be his first full year with Luka Dončić as a teammate. Dončić was traded to the Lakers from Dallas in February, but the team — which entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed in a loaded Western Conference — still fell in the first round to Minnesota.
James turns 41 in December. He’s been an All-NBA pick in 21 of his 22 seasons in the league, including a second-round nod this past season. No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections.
He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists this past season. The NBA’s all-time scoring leader has appeared in 1,562 regular-season games, 49 behind Robert Parish’s mark of 1,611 — the most in league history. If healthy, James would obviously figure to break that mark this coming season.
Informaton from The Associated Press was used in this report.
