LeBron James to leave Lakers as free agent

July 1 ------ LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent, according to a report by ESPN's Shams Charania.

James is set to depart the Lakers after eight seasons with the team, a run that included the 2020 NBA championship. LeBron's time with the Lakers is his longest stint with one team. He played his first seven seasons in Cleveland, then played with the Miami Heat for four seasons, and had a second run with the Cavaliers that also lasted for four seasons.

With the Lakers, James broke the NBA all-time scoring record and made history with his son Bronny as the first father-son duo in the NBA. LeBron's Lakers were also the inaugural NBA Cup winners, winning the in-season tournament in 2023. In his 23rd season, LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game.

While it matched his lowest scoring season, which came during his rookie year, James guided the Lakers to a first-round win over the Houston Rockets as the team dealt with injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The 2026-27 NBA season will be LeBron's 24th, extending his own record.

Source: onesports.ph