Reporter: People generally believe that James will not retire and will take a salary cut next year to sign a short-term contract with another team to compete for the championship.

Today, NBA reporter Brett Siegel wrote an article reporting on the career future of Lakers forward James.

It is undeniable that since James first joined the Lakers in 2020 and won the championship in 2020, his relationship with the Lakers has broken down. As for whether this relationship is beyond repair, only LeBron knows.

So, what exactly will be the future of LeBron?

For now, regardless of whether the relationship is tense or not, he intends to fulfill the last year of his contract with the Lakers. While the idea of ​​trading LeBron could still change from a team and player perspective between now and February, the Lakers are currently hell-bent on getting him back on the court.

After all, when James and Doncic played together in the 2024-2025 season, they combined for a 15-8 record, helping the Lakers earn the third seed in the Western Conference, behind the Thunder and Rockets who won the 2025 NBA Finals.

Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, the end of James' career is full of uncertainty. While it's possible that he retires after this season, it's more likely that LeBron will seek a new contract as an unrestricted free agent and keep his stellar career going for at least another year.

James is eager to win another championship. If he feels that he cannot achieve this goal in Los Angeles, it is generally believed that he will be willing to accept a short-term contract, even if the salary is lower, and he will go elsewhere to fight for it. That's a whole other topic, though, and it's still over eight months away, so there's no need to speculate.

The Lakers still emphasize patience and optimism regarding LeBron's situation, which is why Los Angeles continues to wait.