LeBron James is officially parting ways with the Los Angeles Lakers after an eight-season tenure in Southern California, his agent Rich Paul confirmed to ESPN on June 30.
While the legendary forward is exiting the Lakers organization, he has no plans to retire from professional basketball.
According to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the all-time leading scorer in NBA history will return to the hardwood for his 24th season this fall, though his next destination remains entirely unconfirmed.
James began his monumental professional journey back in 2003, when he was drafted by his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. After seven seasons in Ohio, he took his talents south to join the Miami Heat in 2010, winning his first two championships before orchestrating an emotional return to Cleveland in 2014 to deliver the franchise its first NBA title.
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In 2018, James moved to the City of Angels, anchoring the Lakers for nearly a decade and bringing a championship banner to Los Angeles during the 2020 bubble season.
Throughout his historic career, James has completely rewritten the NBA record books while assembling one of the most decorated résumés in sports history.
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. pic.twitter.com/zzVk6xUVF1
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2026
In addition to surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the league’s definitive all-time leading scorer, James boasts an extraordinary collection of accolades, including multiple league MVP and Finals MVP, multiple consecutive All-Star selections and 4 NBA Championships.
In the months leading up to his blockbuster decision to enter free agency, James frequently reflected on his career longevity and whether he was truly ready to leave the game behind. By choosing to opt out or move on from the Lakers, the veteran icon is signaling that he still has plenty left in the tank as teams prepare to compete for his services in free agency.
