The last dance? It is revealed that James is likely to execute the 52.6 million option and there is still one month to make a decision

On May 28, ESPN famous reporter Shams was asked about LeBron James' future trends when he participated in a podcast. Shams said the Lakers star is likely to execute a $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season.

Shams said: "The news I got is that he will likely choose the execution option... This is a high probability event and the current plan. But his options deadline is June 29 (June 30), so he still has about a month to make a decision. There will be some difficult conversations between him and the Lakers to explore the team's future lineup structure. Because whether he plays for another season or multiple seasons, he hopes to be In a competitive environment. "

"He may choose the execution option because the contract is too large. This also provides flexibility for subsequent operations - whether it is renewal on this basis or... essentially treating this as the 'last dance'." "

A few weeks ago, at the end of the Lakers' season, James expressed uncertainty about his NBA future, and he had neither confirmed that he would return to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2025-26 season nor did he make it clear that he would continue his career.

However, the possibility of James resigning this summer has been extremely low. Despite his ups and downs during his time with the Lakers, there has been no indication in recent years that he intends to leave Los Angeles. With Doncic's joining, the team has a new reason for optimism, which seems to reduce the possibility of James leaving the team.

U.S. media pointed out that in this context, Shams' report is logical. It should be noted, however, that if James executes the option, his salary will be lower than his maximum salary (estimated at $54.1 million) and he will not be able to renew his contract with the team before the contract expires next summer. So even if he just wants to play for the Lakers for another season and then retain other options in 2026, he may refuse to execute the player option and instead sign a new year contract.

If James decides to continue playing in the 2025-26 season, this will be his 23rd season in the NBA, thus setting a new league record. Currently, James and Vince Carter tied for first place in 22 seasons.