LeBron James’ time with the Los Angeles Lakers might be coming to an end soon. Even if LeBron isn’t traded before Feb. 5 (there’s no indication that he will be, and he holds a full no-trade clause), James becomes an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
He’s also 41 years old. Retirement is an obvious option, but then again, it just doesn’t feel like this is LeBron’s final season.
The Lakers are no longer the best fit for James. The LeBron-Luka Doncic-Austin Reaves trio is redundant, and the Lakers know it. James is the odd man out, given his age, which is an “inherent problem” for Los Angeles, as noted by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on January 2.