The King is coming back. We just don’t know where he’ll wear the crown.
NBA icon LeBron James, the league’s all-time leading scorer, has agreed to return for the 2026-27 season, according to initial reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania. This will be his 24th season, extending his record for the most seasons played in NBA history.
But here’s the twist: James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that they can move on without him. He plans to play elsewhere, as confirmed by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul in a statement to ESPN.
“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,” Charania wrote on X.
This decision comes after the Lakers were swept in the Western Conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder, a series they played without star player and NBA leading scorer Luka Doncic, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
James, who turns 42 in December, will become an unrestricted free agent after playing the final season of his contract in 2025-26, which included a player option. He and his agent, Rich Paul, had acknowledged in June 2025 that the Lakers were building for the future—a future that apparently doesn’t include James.
The Lakers showed flashes of brilliance when James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves were healthy. They won 16 of 18 games before Doncic’s injury on April 2, which derailed their momentum. Los Angeles then lost three straight, including the game Doncic left early, but James elevated the team’s play, even as Reaves missed extended time.
James was particularly exceptional in the first-round playoff series against the Rockets, which Los Angeles won in six games.
This season, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, shooting 51.5% from the field, 31.7% from three-point range, and 73.7% from the free-throw line. While his scoring average tied a career low, he still earned an All-Star selection for a league-record 22nd consecutive time.
A 22-time All-Star and four-time MVP, James has won four NBA championships and four NBA Finals MVP trophies. He’s a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and has played for the Cavaliers (twice), the Miami Heat, and the Lakers, winning at least one title with each franchise.
James is also a three-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012, 2024) and won bronze in 2004.
On October 22, 2024, after the Lakers drafted his eldest son, Bronny, the pair became the first father-son duo to appear in a regular season game together, a 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James already holds several NBA all-time records, including points scored (43,440), field goal attempts (31,502), minutes played (61,030), and nearly every major individual playoff statistic.
Where his next chapter unfolds remains to be seen.
