Akron native and NBA superstar LeBron James will return for his 24th season in the NBA, but it will not be as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, as first reported by ESPN.
James, entering free agency, informed the Lakers on Tuesday that he would not be returning to the franchise and would be signing with a new team. That decision was then shared with media members by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul.
The Lakers issued a statement from team governor Jeanie Buss a short time later that read:
"LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. 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."
"Thank you, LeBron"
James began his career with his hometown team, selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft. He spent his first seven seasons in Cleveland, making it to the NBA Finals once but unable to secure a championship before infamously announcing "The Decision," where he opted to sign with the Miami Heat as an unrestricted free agent.
In his four seasons with the Heat, James went to the Finals each year, winning his first and second titles consecutively in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
Arguably, however, the most meaningful of James' championship wins came in 2016, a year after he made the decision to return to the Cavs. James announced his homecoming ahead of the 2015 season, and the Cavs became immediate title contenders, making it to the Finals that year but falling short to the Golden State Warriors. That year began a rivalry that would go on to make history.
In 2016, the Cavs once again faced the Warriors in the Finals, this time, however, a record-setting 73-win version of the team. Falling 3-1 in the Finals, the Cavs mustered up a historic comeback, becoming the first NBA team to come back from a 3–1 deficit in the Finals, winning the Cavs' first-ever NBA Championship and snapping a 52-year championship drought for the city of Cleveland.
It was a moment still beloved by Cleveland fans and recently celebrated by the organization for its 10th anniversary.
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That championship was the only one James was able to win in Cleveland before he opted out of his contract with the Cavs in 2018 and became an unrestricted free agent that summer.
James has spent the last eight seasons with the Lakers, where his eldest son, Bronny James, now plays as well. In that time, James was able to win one more championship, his fourth total during the 2019-2020 season.
In his 24 seasons, James has made history with all three teams he's played for. A four-time NBA Champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time NBA MVP and 22-time NBA All-Star, amid dozens of other accolades, James has shaped the league in an undeniable way for decades.
Now, at 41 years old and in the assumed final chapter of his NBA career, one last decision must be made.
Where will he say goodbye?
The NBA world—and Cavs fans hoping that it might end up being right here where it all began—will have to wait and see.
Do you want LeBron James to return to the Cavs?
— News 5 Cleveland (@WEWS) June 30, 2026
