LeBron James Is Officially Leaving The Los Angeles Lakers

BY Alexander Cole
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NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LeBron James has officially become a free agent, and he has revealed to the Los Angeles Lakers that he is leaving.

LeBron James is easily one of the biggest legends in the history of the NBA. He is the league's all-time leading scorer, and he also has four NBA championships to his name.

Since 2018, LeBron has been playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, to varying degrees of success. While he won a championship with the franchise in the bubble during the 2020 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers have been subjected to numerous first-round exits and failed playoff bids.

At 41 years old, James is not getting any younger. However, he still has a hunger to play NBA basketball. With free agency about to begin, LeBron has made one thing clear: he will no longer be a Laker. According to Shams Charania, James' long-time agent, Rich Paul, has confirmed with the Lakers that LeBron would like to play somewhere else.

LeBron James Is Going His Own Way

At this time, it is unclear how many years James has left in the tank. However, he could be on the verge of a farewell tour soon, especially if his next contract is only for one season.

Numerous teams are looking to sign James right now. The Golden State Warriors are at the top of that list, as James would be joining Steph Curry. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are also a viable option. The Cavs are LeBron's hometown team, and the franchise that drafted him in 2003. Finishing his career in Cleveland would be the perfect sendoff.

For now, it is unknown how this will affect Bronny James. The Lakers drafted Bronny as a favor to LeBron. Now, the young star in the making will have to figure things out on his own.

Free agency officially begins this evening at 6 PM EST. It will be fascinating to see where LeBron decides to go, and if he ends up surprising some people in the process.

About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!

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