The retirement chatter has surrounded James the past few years, which he officially squashed when he announced he’d return to the Lakers in 2023 at the ESPYs and again returned last season on a two-year, $104 million contract. This all came after James said in 2022 that his last season in the NBA would be with his son Bronny.

LeBron James has a player option still to officially decide on in his Los Angeles Lakers contract. Some have wondered whether there's any scenario where James ends up traded even after opting in to that deal.

LeBron James Urged to Make 'Substantial Sacrifice' for Lakers Next Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Many fans and pundits predicted the Los Angeles Lakers would compete for the championship this year after the Luka Doncic trade.