As we enter a new NBA season, speculation over LeBron James’ future with the Lakers continues unabated. The 2024–25 season is the end of James’ two-year, $99 million deal.

The superstar, though, has a player option that he can exercise this summer, turning him into a free agent. The deadline for James to decide about next season’s status, according to Spotrac, is June 29, 2024.

For the 2024–25 season, James is now projected to earn $51.4 million from the Los Angeles Lakers. Even if James could play for another team next season, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst still has Los Angeles as his favorite. To set the scene, Windhorst was bringing up the worth of other teams’ potential draft picks from the Lakers.

“I am uncertain about LeBron’s future in 2025,” Windhorst stated in an episode of “The Hoop Collective” that aired on January 17, 2024. “I have a feeling that LeBron will play next year, but I’m not sure if it will be with the Lakers or not. Very likely, albeit he does have a choice. We should talk about this for certain reasons.

Bronny James Is Supposedly on the Draft Boards of Multiple NBA Teams, According to Lakers Insider

Windhorst has covered the tale since he was a high school student at St. Vincent-St. Mary, making him one of the few reporters to do so. James has shown no signs of wanting to leave Los Angeles, but if the club keeps losing, it will be interesting to observe whether his attitude changes.

Additionally, his kid Bronny James’s destiny remаins an unknown. As a first-year student at USC, the guard has NBA draft aspirations and might enter the league in 2024.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Bronny is on the draft boards of numerous NBA clubs. With 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, the USC guard is putting up modest numbers this season. Basically, Bronny’s decision to enter the 2024 NBA draft is still up in the air.

Charania elaborated on the draught boards of numerous teams for Bronny James on an episode of FanDuel’s “Run It Back” airing on January 18th. What if he is drafted somewhere else than Los Angeles? It’s an intriguing thought. This summer, LeBron James does in fact have a player option.

This idea arises from James’s prior statements about his wish to play with his son in his final season of professional basketball. The possibility of James and Bronny playing together for a team other than the Lakers is still open, according to James.

James assured Jason Lloyd of The Athletic that his final year would be spent playing with his son in an interview that took place on February 19, 2022. “You can bet that I will be right there with Bronny. If it meant spending a year playing with my son, I would do it without hesitation. After a certain point, it stops being about the money.

The conclusion of the Lakers season is crucial for all the reasons stated above. James may choose his own fate and can depart from Los Angeles during the upcoming offseason if he so desires. The deadline for Los Angeles to make a trade before the NBA trade deadline is February 8.