LeBron James will return for an NBA record 24th season, but his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers has come to an end, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
James, who turns 42 in December, ends his eight-year run with the Lakers, whom he joined as an unrestricted free agent in 2018 following a second-stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It is unclear where James will play next, but the NBA’s all time leading scorer has been speculated to have interest in joining the Golden State Warriors or returning to either the Cavaliers or Miami Heat.
Lakers Make Big Announcement After LeBron James Declares Exit
GettyLeBron James hugging Rajon Rondo after the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship in the Bubble.
Following the groundbreaking news of James’ Los Angeles exit, the Lakers took to X to post governor Jeanie Buss’ farewell to the 22-time All-Star.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” the post said. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers – including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
In eight season with the Lakers, James averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists and 7.7 rebounds in 479 games. Before James joined the Lakers, the franchise registered a win total in the 30s in the 2017-18 season.
Two seasons later, James led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA championship, winning Finals MVP in the process.
How James’ Legacy Will Be Remembered in Los Angeles
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 07: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 38,387 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on February 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Two thousand nine hundred twenty-one days ago, James took a chance.
He accepted new pressure. He wanted to carry on a legacy. He aimed to get a gilded out of the dumpster and back to the top.
Leaving Cleveland a second time had to have been quite difficult for James, but he accepted the Hollywood spotlight. What Kobe, Shaq, Magic, Kareem and so many other greats did, James, in effect, now had to do.
What raised James’ degree of difficulty was arriving as a Laker at 33 years old, an age once considered past a player’s prime. And the Lakers riding the bottom of the standings for years leading up to James’ arrival didn’t make the task any easier for the four-time MVP.
James’ Laker legacy contains lots of ups and downs. But he leaves as a Lakers champion and Finals MVP. That alone makes him one of the most decorated players to don the purple and gold.
Lakers Send Strong Message to LeBron James After Stunning Exit News