With the NBA trade deadline set for this Thursday, there's a lot of noise surrounding LeBron James and his future with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Even at 41 years old, James remains a key contributor for the Lakers. The future Hall of Famer is averaging 21.9 points, 6.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game this season. As of this Tuesday, the Lakers are sixth in the Western Conference standings with a 29-19 record.
Although the Lakers are in the mix for a playoff berth, James has been mentioned in trade rumors. It doesn't help that Jeanie Buss has reportedly lost her patience with the face of the franchise.
Despite all the drama in Los Angeles, ESPN's Dave McMenamin is reporting that James won't be traded before the deadline.
"With the NBA trade deadline approaching and several teams considered to be potential future destinations for LeBron James reportedly involved in talks to acquire star-level talent, James is still expected to finish out the season with the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told ESPN on Tuesday," McMenamin wrote.
© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Will LeBron leave Los Angeles in the summer?
The NBA's all-time leading scorer is set to be a free agent in the summer. If he wants to keep playing, there are at least three teams that could make a run at him.
McMenamin mentioned the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks as suitors for James.
As of this moment, James' plans for the 2026-27 season are unknown. He'll most likely wait until the offseason to announce his decision.