LeBron James has already made a significant personal decision this offseason — exercising the $52.6 million player option attached to a two-year contract he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of last season.
But when the 2025-26 campaign reaches its conclusion, James will be faced with an even bigger one that puts him at a crossroads: Will he elect to continue his playing career, or will he decide to begin the next chapter of his life in retirement?
Should he decide to go with the first option, a statement made by Rich Paul, James’ agent — one that was brought to light in a recent piece by ESPN’s Bobby Marks — should raise the eyebrows of those in the Dallas Mavericks’ front office.
“He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all,” Paul said in an interview with ESPN’s Shams Charania after James picked up the player option on June 29. “We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
A move to the Mavericks could be what’s best for James by the time the calendar reaches July.
The Mavericks had a down season last year, but they reached the NBA Finals in 2024. Two of James’ teammates with whom he has won championships — Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving — each have player options in 2027-28 (the season before which Klay Thompson becomes a free agent) and will not hit unrestricted free agency until the following summer.
And that’s without mentioning the abundance of young talent on the Mavericks’ roster, which was further bolstered by the team’s selection of Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Every one of James’ career moves has revolved around the possibility of winning titles. He made “The Decision” in 2010 to join forces with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat, thereby creating the league’s most dynamic “Big 3.” He returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 to end the city’s championship drought. And his move to the Lakers in 2018, motivated by him “doing what he wants to do” (as Paul told Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins), resulted in earning an NBA Finals victory two years later.
If the Mavericks can prove this season that they are capable of doing the same, it may be enough to sway James into writing the final chapter of his career in Dallas.
