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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles while standing on the court during their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 09, 2026 in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers will be relying on LeBron James to lead them to the second round of the playoffs. With both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves injured, James is the top option for the team at the age of 41. It might be his toughest act yet.

James’ stats significantly fell off this season. He averaged 20.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, both of which are career lows. Now, he is going to be taking on the Houston Rockets as the most dangerous offensive option. Once the season ends, his future is uncertain.

ESPN insider Brian Windhorst has been following James his entire career. He recently addressed James’ murky future with the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers Might Move on From LeBron James

While appearing on Hoops Tonight, Windhorst explained what he is hearing about James’ future with the Lakers.

“Functionally, the Lakers will not have cap space until they deal with LeBron. Either say, ‘LeBron, we love you, thank you, good luck to you. We renounce your rights, good luck’, or they say LeBron, here’s a contract for, what $20, 25, is it 35, is it 40? I don’t know.”

Windhorst then says he’s had some talks with sources about this exact matter.

“I have specifically spoken to people on both sides of the negotiation of ‘What do you think his value is in the 2026-27 NBA landscape. Knowing there’s no team out there with cap space that is going to say ‘here’s $35M to play for us.’ Yeah, the Warriors or the Cavs or Team X would take him for the Mid-Level Exception or the minimum. Of course! But there’s no team out there that’s going to clear $35 million or $40 million out and say, ‘LeBron, come to us’. Who are the Lakers bidding against?”

NBA Insider Believes LeBron James Returns to Los Angeles

Los Angeles seems to be the place where James wants to be, and that’s where Windhorst believes he will be. He mentions that no one is really bidding against the Lakers at a high number to bring James in. If he wants to leave, he will have to take a massive pay cut.

At this stage of his career, James is no longer a force of nature. Teams are not going to want to pay him as such. This past season, the Lakers had the 11th-worst defense in the league. Part of that is because James rests on that side of the court 75 percent of the time.

Los Angeles has already signaled that they will be building around Doncic for the future. At the end of the year, James finally accepted the role of the third-fiddle before Doncic and Reaves got hurt. Will he accept that role on another team that doesn’t know him?

James will try to keep these questions from being asked for as long as possible. He is trying to take the team on a deep postseason run.