Today, Trail Blazers reporter Sean Highkin expressed his views on the rumors about James and the Lakers.

The original text read: "The rumors about James and the Lakers are obviously nonsense. Because there is no feasible trading plan, James will not give up his salary in a buyout, and the Lakers will not pay him to play in another team. James could have chosen to jump out of the contract, but he did not do so."

James executed the 2025-26 season worth $52.63 million player option on June 30, and will compete in his 23rd season of his NBA career.

In the 2024-25 season, James played 70 regular season games for the Lakers, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1 steal; in the playoffs, James played 5 times, averaging 25.4 points, 9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.