According to a report from Brian Windhorst, LeBron James wants a no-trade clause in his next contract with the Lakers.
The future of Lakers star LeBron James has often been the focus of discussion this season, but now we seem to have more clarity on his mind. According to Brian Windhorst on the Basketball Collector podcast, LeBron James intends to turn down his current contract, primarily to secure a no-trade clause.
In his upcoming negotiation discussions with the Lakers, Wenderhorst said: "I think LeBron is going to opt out of his contract anyway. I think the only actual way LeBron can get a no-trade clause, whether he's just signing a one-year contract or not, is by signing a new contract.
If he renews his current contract or exercises the option in the contract and renews it, he will not be able to obtain a no-trade clause. I think LeBron wants, and probably will, be allowed a no-trade clause for a number of different reasons. ”
This is really good news, if James wants to trade the veto to renew his contract, it means that he will be the Lakers for the rest of his life.
If James gets a no-trade clause on his new contract, he will become only the second player to have it, tied with Bradley Beal of the Phoenix Suns.
According to The Boardroom, James also had a no-trade clause in his previous contract, and he and Beal are among only 10 players in NBA history to have a no-trade clause. They are tied with David Robinson, John Stockton, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.
There is a good chance that James will receive a no-trade clause on his next contract with the Lakers, and the 39-year-old has been outstanding this season, helping the team stay competitive in the playoffs with an All-Star caliber performance. He is averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game and has reached the number of games the NBA mandated in the offseason to be considered for a playoff award.
LeBron James was never really part of the trade rumors, however, the rumors always breed.
Shortly after James signed with the Lakers in 2019, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss was rumored to be trying to trade James because she didn't like Rich Paul, and Rick Butche of Bleacher Report made a report on those rumors at the time.
In a March 2019 report, Butche wrote: "Before Van Gundy made it public, the Lakers internally considered a move to James. When the team was plagued by rumors at the February trade deadline that they were willing to trade anyone but James for New Orleans Pelicans All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who was also one of Paul's clients, Paul was widely blamed for spreading those rumors.
Paul denied to B/R that he had leaked the Lakers' interest in Davis, but Buss was suspicious and furious. According to team sources, Buss at least considered ending his partnership with Paul and resolving the issue by moving to James, and Paul has been informed of this. This prompted Paul to get in touch with Bass to resolve the issue, and any malicious intent that allegedly existed at the time was resolved. ”
However, The Athletic's Sam Emic reported in May 2022 that Buss would not consider trading LeBron James because he didn't sign an extension until his contract was negotiated in August 2022.
If LeBron James ultimately decides not to sign a contract extension with the Lakers, sources say Buss won't see his desire to execute the final season of his contract as a reason to consider trading him. ”
James then signed a two-year, $97.1 million contract that includes a player option for the 2024-2025 season.
However, until this season, speculation about a trade continued to grow, as LeBron's son, Bronny James, has been announced for the NBA draft and entered the transfer portal, and he is weighing his future.
LeBron has publicly stated that he wants to play with Bronny, and according to NBA insider Mark Stein, some teams think they can get James to play for them if they sign Bronny.
"I know of at least two NBA teams that believe that LeBron James would be willing to sign for well under $51.4 million if he were on the team. There could be more teams as well," Stan said in February via his Substack newsletter.
It's worth mentioning that the Warriors seem to have asked about trading LeBron James ahead of the trade deadline this season.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors have shown clear interest in trading LeBron James. The discussion also extended to Jenny Bass and Rob Pelinka, who allegedly had serious discussions about a potential deal.
"The Warriors are eager to offer the Lakers a trade package, but neither the Lakers nor James are willing to explore a potential big deal," the report said. ”
"Even at the age of 39, James is still playing at All-Star level, which has sparked the Warriors' imagination about whether he can continue the team's declining dynasty," the report added. ”
Getting a no-trade clause on James' next contract would allow him to take control of his own destiny, closing the final chapter of his career, which could be an interesting variable when he makes his decision in the offseason.
In any case, James wanted to trade the veto when he renewed his contract with the Lakers, because he didn't want to leave the Lakers, and he wanted to retire from the Lakers for the rest of his life, otherwise there was no need for such a clause.