LeBron James reportedly won't rule out finishing career away from the Lakers to chase another ring

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has some decisions to make. If the NBA legend decides to run it back, will he return to the Lakers? And if James feels he has multiple seasons left in him, will another team have an opportunity to scoop up his services?

The latter possibility is reportedly on the table, as James would consider ending his career with a franchise other than the Lakers to pursue a fifth NBA championship, according to The Athletic.

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The Athletic broke down a number of issues facing the Lakers now that the team is officially in its offseason. James' future with the Lakers was a major talking point.

So, might James think about finishing his career elsewhere in pursuit of a fifth ring? When posed that question, both league sources close to James and team sources would not rule that possibility out. And that was before the revealing elimination game.

It's a tantalizing thought. James' forays into free agency tend to dominate NBA offseasons. "The Decision" remains one of the biggest — and most controversial — moves by any NBA player. James' return to the Cleveland Cavaliers and announcement he was joining the Lakers also stand out as major moments in not just his career, but the entire era in which he played.

There's good reason for that, as James' free-agent decisions have resulted in seismic shifts within the NBA. He — along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — drastically altered how teams were built, ushering in an era of player empowerment after James joined the Miami Heat. His return to Cleveland and decision to go to the Lakers put those franchises back on the map as well. James led the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship and revived the Lakers' status as a premier franchise after the team suffered through a tough stretch from 2013 to 2018.

Despite his age, the 40-year-old James hitting free agency at any point in the next 12 months or so would be the biggest story in the NBA, especially if he decided to leave the Lakers.

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With that said, there are a lot of qualifiers to The Athletic's report. The first of which involves whether James wants to continue his career. The superstar wasn't ready to discuss his plans after the Lakers were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. He didn't show many signs of rust last season, and presumably still has plenty left in the tank if he wants to continue his career.

If that's the case, James' easiest option is to exercise his one-year, $52.2 million option to return to the Lakers. In that scenario, James would play the 2025-26 NBA season in Los Angeles before becoming a free agent. At that point, James would once again decide whether he wanted to keep playing. If he wanted to play another year, he would have the ability to join any team. If James wanted to pursue another ring and felt the Lakers didn't offer him that chance, that could lead to a situation where James finishes out his career with another franchise.

The most shocking option involves James opting out of his $52.2 million player option and immediately becoming a free agent. He's not expected to make that move, though it would give James the ability to chase another championship immediately.

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Finally, there's the convoluted route in which James tells the Lakers he wants to return, but wants an extension. In that scenario, the Lakers would need to determine whether they wanted to commit additional years to a player who will be 41 in December. Despite his age, James would likely still command a huge salary, a risky proposition for a player who — to this point — has somehow evaded Father Time's grasp.

If the Lakers decide that's worth the risk, then James could presumably return to the team with the intention of playing through at least the 2026-27 NBA season. If the Lakers tell James they won't extend him, things could get messy. James could choose to leave the franchise immediately. He could also opt in to his one-year $52.2 million option and play out next season in Los Angeles before hitting free agency and re-evaluating his options at the end of the year.

If you read all of that and thought to yourself, "that's a lot of hypotheticals," you're right. While it's certainly possible James winds up playing for another franchise before his career ends, there are too many variables involved to know exactly what will happen.

The only certainty here is that James' career is going to end soon. As long as he continues to produce at a high level, he'll be able to control when and where that happens.

If he can't do that, any speculation about James' intentions past the 2025-26 NBA season doesn't really matter.