Why LeBron James’ Best Free-Agency Option Has Always Been The Lakers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Utah Jazz during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena on November 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Just like in the prime of his career, LeBron James still leaves the NBA world intrigued on which team he wants to join next.

Unlike in the prime of his career, James no longer has the leverage to exert his will.

Sure, he can still keep teams guessing about his intentions. Just as he did during his one-hour television special when he announced he would take his talents to South Beach. Just as he did when he stayed with Cleveland during his second stint on multiple one-year contracts.

But as the 41-year-old James mulls over where he’d like to play in his 24^th and potentially final season of his NBA career, his next decision seems far more predictable than his other free-agency sagas.

The best option has and will always be to return to the Lakers.

James no longer commands a max salary, but the Lakers can pay him the most money. James may not win an NBA championship with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, but other title contenders don’t have respectable cap space to acquire him. The Lakers still need more center and wing depth, but James’ other possible options have more significant roster flaws. James may have already fulfilled his dream to play with his son on an NBA team, but he can only experience that again in a purple and gold uniform.

That’s why I rolled my eyes about the Warriors’ attempts to acquire James. They are genuinely interested. The feeling is likely mutual. But it hardly seems realistic.

A Yahoo! Sports report circulated late Sunday night that the Warriors would pursue James by also trying to acquire his favorite former Lakers teammate (Anthony Davis), and it took less than 24 hours to validate the author’s disclaimer that “there is real doubt they can pull it off.”

Though the Washington Wizards may not feel ready to grant Davis an extension, they have full intentions to feature him with their star point guard (Trae Young) and their intriguing young core. The Wizards have zero interest in acquiring a player currently recovering from an ACL with serious doubts on how he will play once he returns (Jimmy Butler). It appears such talks went nowhere since the Warriors agreed later on Monday to extend center Kristaps Porzingis to a two-year, $40 million deal.

That doesn’t mean the Warriors are out entirely on pursuing James. James and Stephen Curry have immense respect for each other as both longtime rivals and Olympic teams. Draymond Green, James’ close friend and former adversary, already declined his $28 million option to give the Warriors some financial flexibility. There’s no doubt that James’ selfless style of play will complement Curry’s shooting and Green’s defensive versatility. Though all three excel as playmakers, they all operate distinctly enough that it would feel seamless.

The only problem? James has said on his podcast that he prioritizes still playing on a winning team. This version of the Warriors team would be unstoppable 10 years ago. But even with an intriguing rookie in Yaxel Lendeborg, the Warriors have an aging roster that will leave their trainer’s room crowded. With James joining the fold, they are still nothing more than a competitive Play-In team.

Why Lakers are a better option than Warriors

So even if James would naturally fit better with Curry and Green than he would with Dončić and Reaves, that point seems irrelevant. As the Lakers experienced in their second-round sweep to the Thunder last season, it has become increasingly more important for teams to have the right supporting cast around their core players. For all the flaws in the Lakers’ current roster, it pales to the Warriors. The Lakers still have to prove they can maximize Dončić’s championship window. But Dončić, Reaves and James showed they can still thrive together even amid the discomfort when one of them played off the ball. In this case, mostly James.

Some rival NBA executives and coaches have mixed feelings on whether James has the appetite to repeat that experience again. Some remain bullish on James’ versatility and unselfishness. Some express skepticism on whether James can stay patient with Dončić ball-dominant and isolation-heavy play. Some contend that Dončić shares with his teammates just fine as shown with his strong connection with Reaves, his lobs to various teammates and his looks for James.

Regardless of where you stand with James’ fit on the Lakers, the bigger uncertainties have always pointed toward his dynamic with the front office. Ever since the James joined the Lakers, both parties have mostly operated on a transactional basis. S

Sure, the Lakers appreciate James for ending their six-year playoff drought, for his leadership following Kobe Bryant’s tragedy and for delivering them the 2020 NBA title. After that, though, both parties grew suspicious of each other. James chafed at any suggestion that he was the culprit for the Lakers unexpectedly acquiring Russell Westbrook after nearly landing Buddy Hield in a separate deal.

Though James appreciated the Lakers for drafting Bronny two seasons ago, he chafed on why the Lakers didn’t pursue other moves enough to maximize his championship window. The Lakers contend they wanted to protect long-term assets while they waited for the right deal. Even though James’ fortunes improved with the Dončić acquisition two seasons ago, the Lakers understandably prioritized their roster building around their new generational star. But that also meant allowing James to exercise his player option last summer instead of negotiating a new extension.

Therefore, it seemed expected that James would retire after the 2025-26 season. But then James kept delaying Father Time and playing at an All-Star caliber level. With more games together, James eventually fostered better chemistry with Dončić and Reaves. The Lakers made a late-season push that made them at least a second-tier playoff team. Give this another year, and James will at least end his career in a playoff game instead of a Play-In.

Granted, James would not experience the same farewell tour in his final season with the Lakers that Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once had. But that experience would become more genuine than what he would experience in the Bay. Regardless of his respect for Curry and Green, it seems hard to fathom the Warriors fanbase granting James a farewell tour with more meaning when he has exactly zero equity with them. Both the Warriors and fanbase would cheer on James. But just like Kevin Durant experienced, the organization and fanbase would never embrace him over Curry or even Green. James has become increasingly comfortable with dictating his own future with total disregard for anyone else’s opinion. Yet, it would seem awkward to have a farewell tour with a franchise that was once a hated Finals opponent.

James wouldn’t experience a perfectly-scripted ending with the Lakers. At least James would end his career making more than the mid-level exception. At least James would play on a team that can make a deeper playoff push. At least James would play in front of a fanbase that has supported his on-court accomplishments for the past seven years.

At some point soon, the Lakers and James should make the same conclusion.