LeBron James Leaves Lakers for Record 24th Season
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- LeBron James confirmed on social media he will not return to the Lakers after eight seasons — the longest single-franchise stint of his career — responding to the team's farewell post with "No, THANK YOU!"
- James, who turns 42 in December, will become the first player in NBA history to appear in a 24th season; free agency opens at 11pm UK time Tuesday, though signings cannot happen until the offseason moratorium lifts on July 6
- The Golden State Warriors became a concrete option after declining Draymond Green's £20.1m ($27.6m) option, creating roster flexibility; James faced Golden State in four consecutive NBA Finals during his Cleveland years and has longstanding ties with Green, Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr
- LeBron leaves the Lakers with one NBA title won there in 2020 and as the NBA's all-time leading scorer while in Los Angeles, finishing his Lakers run with four career championships — two in Miami, one in Cleveland, one in LA
- James was the first NBA player to share the court with his son Bronny, who joined him at the Lakers during his final season in purple and gold
Why it matters: The exit closes one of the NBA's most iconic player-team partnerships after eight seasons and a 2020 championship. For suitors, the calendar matters: free agency opens Tuesday but deals cannot be executed until the July 6 moratorium lifts — and the Warriors' decision to decline Draymond Green's $27.6m option gives Golden State a concrete financial path to pursue a player they faced in four straight Finals during LeBron's Cleveland years.
