Haynes: LeBron James To Stay With Lakers Past Deadline

Superstar forward LeBron James plans to remain with the Lakers past the February 6 trade deadline, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter video link).

There had been some speculation that James might be mulling his future with the Lakers following the absolutely stunning trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas and Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. However, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is one of just two players with a full no-trade clause, and he plans to stick with the Lakers for at least the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign, according to Haynes.

Haynes also hears the Lakers were “very appreciative of the professionalism displayed by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul” and James in the aftermath of the trade. Paul, who also represents Davis, reportedly knew about the deal beforehand, while James did not.

James is the oldest player in the NBA, having turned 40 at the end of December. He continues to play at an incredibly high level though, averaging 24.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists on .513/.379/.767 shooting in 44 games this season (34.7 minutes per contest).

James helped guide the Lakers to a road victory in New York on Saturday sans Davis by posting a 33-point triple-double. He extended his own NBA record last month when he was named an All-Star for the 21st straight time.

James could hit free agency again next summer after re-signing with the Lakers on a one-plus-one deal in the 2024 offseason. He holds a $52.6MM player option for ’25/26.

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