LeBron James evaluating how he wants to finish his career, monitoring Lakers' moves very closely | HoopsHype

Published 1 day ago• 3 minute read

Shams Charania: LeBron James is opting in to nearly $53 million player option for the 2025, 2026, season. So what we do know is he will be playing a record 23rd NBA season. Still not sure whether he’s going to play one more season or he has multiple years left, but I’m told he wants to compete for a championship next season, and he is uncertain about the Lakers roster moving forward. And my understanding is James is supportive of the Lakers positioning themselves around Luka Doncic building for the future. And Rich Paul told me this morning, the Klutch Sports CEO, that the Lakers have been true partners of his and LeBron James for eight seasons while he’s been there. But as we see right there, he also told me, the franchise is going to do what’s best for them. They understand that they have to do what’s best for the long term. And this adds an interesting wrinkle here in free agency, LeBron James is evaluating how he wants to finish his career.

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June 29, 2025 | 12:12 pm EDT Update

Shams Charania: The Lakers perspective is they’re doing everything they can to build the team the right way, to try to compete for a championship. We know they’re in the center market right now. So you look at centers like Brook Lopez, Clint Capela, Al Horford, all available in the market. They’re also have Dorian Finney-Smith, he’s got a player option decision, $15.4 million player option. He also faces a deadline later today, so they’re doing what they can, but LeBron James clearly is of the mindset that he wants to compete for a championship, and he’s going to be monitoring very closely. Are the Lakers going to make the move that puts them in position to seriously compete in that vaulted Western Conference? And then, if not, where do those conversations go that becomes a subplot of this offseason.

Bojan Bogdanovic has officially announced his retirement from professional basketball after a decade-long NBA career. The 36-year-old forward revealed the decision on social media, citing ongoing struggles with injuries that forced him off the court this past season. Bogdanović began the 2024/25 season with the Brooklyn Nets but was sidelined by surgeries on his left foot and wrist. He was waived by the Nets in February after undergoing season-ending foot surgery. “Sometimes in life, you don’t choose the moment. The moment chooses you,” Bogdanović wrote. “After more than 14 months battling injury and multiple surgeries, it’s time to close this chapter.”