The LeBron James era is over with the Los Angeles Lakers. After considering his options this offseason, James decided to leave the franchise in favor of a new beginning.
It appears to be a cordial breakup, with both the Lakers and James sending complimentary messages to each other once the news leaked that the future Hall of Famer would not return.
Nowhere in James’ statement, however, did he reveal his reasons for wanting to leave Los Angeles. With Luka Dončić still around, there was presumably hope that the team could contend next season, something James likely wants to do as his career winds down.
While it appeared James would return to the team early in the free-agent process, the star forward soured on the idea as time went on, eventually leading to him deciding to leave, agent Rich Paul detailed during an interview with Max Kellerman.
Early in the offseason, Paul said he was 80 percent sure James would return to Los Angeles. But upon checking in with James multiple times over the next few weeks, Paul said that number began to slip.
Once James decided to leave the Lakers, Paul informed the team of that decision. There were no formal meetings about bringing James back because Paul didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. He added that the Lakers were interested in bringing James back, though.
While James could have received a nice contract from the Lakers, his free agency won’t be solely decided based on finances. James is seeking “complete happiness” with his next contract, per Paul. That makes sense considering everything James has accomplished during his career. Happiness — and likely the pursuit of one more ring — will play a major role in his free agency and next team.
Despite his age, James still has plenty to give on the court. The 41-year-old averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds with the Lakers last season. Given his performance and legacy, James should draw plenty of attention from teams on the free-agent market.
If finances really aren’t the main consideration for James, that opens up more options for the long-time veteran. James isn’t willing to play for nothing, Paul reiterated, but he also might be willing to take less than the max deal possible if he believes in a team’s roster.
Since Tuesday’s announcement that James would leave the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors have emerged as a likely destination for James. That move would allow him to play with Stephen Curry for at least a year, and could wind up saving the Warriors some much-needed salary, especially if the team also wants to bring Draymond Green back on a long-term deal.
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