One of the biggest ongoing stories of the NBA offseason has been the future of LeBron James. Will The King be remaining a Los Angeles Laker, or will he be taking his talents elsewhere for one final attempt at capturing a fifth ring? No one is certain, but everyone is talking about it. And that now includes retired NBA star Rick Mahorn.
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The latest update on the future of Bron came from his famed agent, Rich Paul. The Klutch Sports CEO informed ESPN that LBJ was exercising his $52.6 million player option for the 25-26 season.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” said Paul. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all.”
As exciting as that is for James, it leaves LA with a big question mark. However, Mahorn thinks that Lakers’ fans need not worry. He’s confident that the 40-year-old will be back in the Purple and Gold.
“I believe he will,” said the former NBA Champion on SiriusXM’s NBA Radio. “The thing is, when you look at LeBron James, it’s about putting pieces in order to win championships. He’s won in Miami. He’s won in LA. He’s won in Cleveland. I think every time he gets on the court, he wants to win.”
Will LeBron be a Laker at the start of next season?@badboyhorn44 discusses with @geraldblss #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/uGE3EsKtKu
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 12, 2025
Mahorn isn’t telling lies. James has proven time and time again that every year he’s on the court, it’s with one goal in mind: a victory and a title. The King has already brought a championship to the Lakers, so no one can say that his run there didn’t serve its purpose.
It would also be really interesting to see what teams might have an interest in the future Hall of Famer on the open market. There are already rumors of him once again going back to the Cavaliers, which is exciting considering the talent that Cleveland currently possesses.
Another rumored destination for LeBron would be the Warriors. That one doesn’t sit right. The Dubs are one of LBJ’s biggest rivals, especially considering they’ve defeated James in three out of their four Finals meetings.
That said, a LeBron James, Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green rotation sounds like something you would get on NBA 2K. It might not make sense, but there also might be too much money to be left on the table by not doing it.
One thing is certain: The King is only 50 games away from setting the record for most regular-season games previously set by Robert Parish. He’s only one season short of Vince Carter’s incredible record for most seasons played in NBA history. LeBron is coming for them both. We’re just not sure what team he’ll be on when he does it.
