Will the Lakers trade LeBron James? Explaining rumors involving NBA superstar ahead of 2025 deadline day

Gilbert McGregor

•
Will the Lakers trade LeBron James? Explaining rumors involving NBA superstar ahead of 2025 deadline day image

As the NBA trade deadline nears, all eyes are on the Lakers.

While Los Angeles is always expected to be a major player at the deadline, it outdid itself this year by acquiring Luka Doncic in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. The Lakers are near the top half of the West's postseason picture and have moved on from Anthony Davis in favor of the 25-year-old superstar.

With Davis gone, LeBron James is the lone remaining member of L.A.'s last championship team, with Markieff Morris returning to the Lakers in the deal as well. There will now be more speculation around the Lakers' plans for their 40-year-old all-time great.

James continues to perform at an All-Star level during his 22nd NBA season. While the shortlist of contenders in the NBA is currently ironclad, a shakeup could put James in a better position to add a fifth NBA title to his career resume.

At this point, all options are on the table. The Lakers' willingness to bring in an heir apparent to James has fueled even more speculation that L.A. could elect to shake things up by trading him. Is that a realistic possibility?

Here is more on past reporting around James' status and what that can be used to deduce this time around.

SN's NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule

Will the Lakers trade LeBron James?

There have been no recent reports that indicate the Lakers will trade James this season. James will remain with the Lakers beyond the deadline, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

Last season, reports surfaced that Golden State was among the teams to inquire about a potential deal involving James. An ESPN report from Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that the Warriors' efforts advanced to another level, though they were ultimately unsuccessful.

The common thread among most reports around any recent trade talks involving James is that Los Angeles would honor the superstar if he expressed a desire to move on to another situation. The lack of real movement is consistent with James maintaining he would like to remain with the Lakers, potentially for the remainder of his career.

LUKA DONCIC TRADE NEWS:

Has LeBron James ever been traded?

While he has never been included in an in-season trade, James has technically been traded once before.

James' highly publicized free agency process of 2010 culminated in a sign-and-trade between the Heat and Cavaliers. James was not dealt in exchange for any players but Cleveland did receive future NBA Draft picks for the greatest player in its franchise's history.

LeBron James 2010 trade details

Heat received:

  • LeBron James

Cavaliers received:

  • 2011 second-round draft pick (used to select Milan Mačvan)
  • 2012 second-round draft pick (used to select Jae Crowder)
  • 2016 first-round draft pick (used to select Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot)

How old is LeBron James?

James is 40 years old. He celebrated his 40th birthday on Dec. 30, 2024.

James is just the 30th player to play in an NBA regular season game after turning 40. Including James, seven of the players to play past their 40th birthday are former league MVPs.

LeBron James contract

James signed a two-year maximum contract worth $101.4 million with the Lakers during the 2024 offseason. He has a player option for the 2025-26 season.

Here are the terms of his deal:

SeasonSalaryAge
2024-25$48,728,84540
2025-26$52,627,153 (Player option)41

MORE NBA NEWS:

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.