NBA legend Dwyane Wade shuts down rumors about LeBron James leaving the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers’ management and fans can breathe a sigh of relief after LeBron James’ longtime agent and Klutch Sports CEO, Rich Paul, confirmed to ESPN that James will exercise his $52.6 million player option for the 2025–26 NBA season.

This move means James will make history by becoming the first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons, surpassing the previous record held by Vince Carter. At 40, James is currently tied with Carter for most seasons played.

Despite the positive development, the Lakers have yet to officially announce James’ decision. The lack of an official statement has led to speculation, with one NBA executive telling Hoops Wire he finds the silence “very strange” and suspects something unusual may be unfolding.

REPORT: The Cavaliers have emerged as the favorites to land LeBron James if he leaves LA next season, per @BetUS_NBA pic.twitter.com/jxAKCikv6i

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 16, 2025

Some reports have even linked James with a potential return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are rumored to be favorites should he decide to leave Los Angeles.

However, former teammate and NBA legend Dwyane Wade dismissed such speculation during an episode of The Timeout podcast.

“Man, listen, they got nothing else to talk about. LeBron is always going to be a story for the media… But at the end of the day, c’mon man—the Lakers just got sold for $10 billion. They didn’t sell for $10 billion for LeBron not to be there,” Wade said.

The Buss family recently sold a majority stake in the Lakers to TWG Global CEO Mark Walter in a record-setting $10 billion deal, the highest valuation ever for a U.S. sports franchise. The family will retain a minority share (around 15%) and Jeanie Buss will continue as team governor for the foreseeable future.

Wade’s comments underscore the belief that LeBron remains central to the Lakers’ identity and value. While James has not publicly commented on the rumors, he has previously affirmed his intent to honor his contract.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.