LeBron James announced that he will leave the Lakers next season to join a new team.

NBA superstar LeBron James has officially informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he plans to play for another team in the 2026-27 season, meaning he will not be wearing the purple and gold in his unprecedented 24th professional season.

LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, confirmed the news, stating that James has instructed him to investigate the offers from all interested teams in the league in order to make a final decision.

LeBron James, who will turn 42 this December, believes, after self-assessment, that he still wants to continue playing highly competitive basketball. Although he has decided to embark on a new journey, he has not yet indicated whether next season will be the end of his career.

In a statement, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss expressed her sincere gratitude for James' contributions over the past eight years and highly praised his legendary achievements in leading the team to the 2020 championship and breaking numerous records. She wished James all the best in the future, both on and off the court, and said that he will always be a member of the Lakers.

Last season, although James only played 60 games due to sciatica, he still maintained a very high level, delivering All-Star caliber stats of 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Entering the playoffs, James further increased his average playing time to 38.4 minutes, scoring 23.2 points and leading his team to eliminate the Rockets in the first round. Currently, several powerhouse teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat, are interested in pursuing the four-time regular season MVP, and the final chapter of James' career remains highly anticipated.

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