LeBron hits free agency: James not
returning to Lakers, plans to play 24th season elsewhere
[July 01, 2026]
By TIM REYNOLDS
LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, which means another
decision awaits.
A mere 16 years after his first famed “decision” — the one that saw
him leave Cleveland for Miami — James is getting ready to change
uniforms once again. He has told the Lakers that his eight-year run
with them is over and that he'll play a record-extending 24th NBA
season elsewhere.
James has made clear many times in recent years that more
championships are his motivation, which means it's almost certain
he'll pick a team that he believes can contend for the NBA title in
2027. Golden State is believed to be on his list, though there are
certainly some who will wonder if reunions with Cleveland and Miami
are possible. Or, perhaps, a new landing spot awaits such as San
Antonio, where he could partner with 7-foot-4 global megastar Victor
Wembanyama.
“I’ve done it all. I’ve seen it all,” James said when the Lakers'
season ended in May — after what was his last game with the
franchise. “Just being able to compete and trying to win
championships, I think that’s a motivating factor.”
The first half of his decision is complete: He's back for at least
one more year, which means his family agreed to that part of the
plan — James had said his wife Savannah and 12-year-old daughter
Zhuri would have big says in whether he continued to play.
His next decision — where to play — is among the biggest dominoes
that will fall during the NBA's offseason player movement window,
alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded by Milwaukee to Miami.
The next step for James is hearing from interested teams — Golden
State, Miami and Cleveland were among the clubs expected to make
pitches, a person with knowledge of the plans said — before he picks
a landing spot. How long the process will take is anyone's guess,
and the person made clear to The Associated Press that money won't
be a factor in James' decision.
The Lakers released a statement Tuesday thanking James for his eight
seasons with the club.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” said
Jeanie Buss, part of the Lakers’ ownership group. “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.”
ESPN, citing James’ longtime agent and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul,
first reported James’ plans.
What happens now for James
The free agency period in the league opened at 6 p.m. EDT on
Tuesday, which meant James and Paul could start taking those
meetings. James will not be able to sign with a new team until the
league’s offseason moratorium is lifted on July 6.
The momentum toward Golden State seemed to pick up when longtime
Warriors forward Draymond Green did not exercise his $27.6 million
option for this coming season earlier this week, in large part to
allow his team flexibility to make other roster moves. It doesn't
mean Green won't be back in Golden State — all indications are that
he will — but it gives the team options.
“Personally, I’m always willing to work with the team on whatever is
best, especially at this point in my career,” Green said on the
latest episode of his podcast, which was released Tuesday. “So, my
decision to opt out was for a few reasons. As you all know, I’ve
always taken the approach of working with the organization. I’ve
been in one place for 14 years. It’s more of a family to me than
anything.”
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Golden State is a franchise James faced four times
with Cleveland in the NBA Finals. He also has close relationships
with Green, Stephen Curry and Warriors coach Steve Kerr; Curry was
his teammate and Kerr was his coach for the United States' run to
the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
James' tenure with the Lakers was the longest he spent in one stint
with an NBA team and he led them to the 2020 NBA championship. He
became the NBA’s career scoring leader while wearing a Lakers
uniform and surpassed a slew of other records while in purple and
gold.
He spent the first seven years of his career in
Cleveland, then left for four years in Miami, where he won the first
two of his four championships. That was followed by another
four-year stint with the Cavaliers (so he had 11 years there total),
and in 2018 he joined the Lakers.
A career like none other
James is the NBA’s oldest active player; he turns 42 in December. He
was the first player in league history to log 23 seasons; he’ll add
at least one more to that this season. He also became the first
player in the league to have a son as a teammate, with Bronny James
playing alongside him with the Lakers.
The list of James’ accolades to this point are beyond comparison.
He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time
Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time
All-Star Game MVP, and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
He’s coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1
rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, and for his career, he’s
averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in more than
1,600 games.
“He created a whole new era for the Lakers, including leading us to
an NBA Championship in 2020 and all the milestones he surpassed in a
Lakers jersey,” Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson wrote on social
media. “I’ll always love and be grateful for him and wish him all
the best in the next phase of his life, on and off the court!”
NBA sets cap, tax lines for 2026-27
As is custom, the NBA revealed the salary cap for this coming season
shortly before the formal start of the free agency window. The cap
was set at $164.961 million, with the tax level at $200.428 million.
Other numbers released by the league:
— The minimum team salary is $148.465 million.
— The first apron level is $209.015 million.
— The second apron level is $221.686 million.
— The non-taxpayer midlevel salary is $15.044 million.
— The taxpayer midlevel is $6.064 million.
— The room midlevel is $9.366 million.
Hardaway Jr., Fontecchio to Heat
Tim Hardaway Jr. grew up in Miami, where his father's jersey sways
as one that the Heat retired. And now, he'll follow in his father's
footsteps — agreeing to a $6.5 million deal to join the Heat and be
one of the shooters around soon-to-be formally acquired
Antetokounmpo. Miami also agreed with Simone Fontecchio on a deal
that will only cost Miami $2.5 million against the cap.
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