Windhorst Talks About LeBron James' NBA Future: 'Not Sure If It Will Be with the Lakers'

LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers is stirring up some talk again. ESPN's Brian Windhorst shared on his Hoop Collective podcast that he anticipates LeBron will be hitting the court for the 2024-25 NBA season, but he's unsure if it will be in a Lakers jersey.

Windhorst hinted that LeBron will probably stay in L.A., but there's a twist with a $51.4 million player option that gives the 19-time All-Star the chance to become a free agent.

The Lakers seem to be following the same path as LeBron's previous teams. Building a championship-caliber team around the 39-year-old has led to the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers going from NBA champions to a much less impressive state in just a few seasons. The Lakers are now facing a similar dilemma, finding themselves in a tough spot with salary cap limitations and dwindling trade assets.

Their current record of 20-21 places them at 10th in the Western Conference. Even if they manage to make the playoffs, it's hard to see them replicating last year's success when they reached the conference finals. Despite LeBron James and Anthony Davis performing exceptionally well and staying healthy, the Lakers have a lackluster net rating of 19th (minus-1.5), according to NBA.com. The fact that the team is not excelling even with their star players consistently delivering raises concerns.

Things didn't look much brighter when LeBron committed to staying on the West Coast until 2025. Now, though, he might be taking a closer look at the team's immediate prospects.

LeBron's priorities have shifted since his days with Miami and Cleveland. Joining the Lakers was about securing his legacy and expanding his influence off the court. Despite the Lakers' early playoff exit in 2021 and missing the postseason in the following year, LeBron signed a multiyear extension.

This contrasts with his decisions in the past, like making the NBA Finals with the Heat in 2014 and the Cavaliers in 2018, yet choosing to move on. Unless the Lakers hit rock bottom and fail to qualify for the play-in tournament, it's hard to imagine LeBron leaving Los Angeles and giving up the perks he enjoys from playing there.