Rumor: LeBron James Won’t Leave Lakers For Nuggets Next NBA Offseason

July 29, 2025

NBA legend LeBron James won’t leave the Los Angeles Lakers for the Denver Nuggets next offseason, according to Nick Wright of First Things First.

LeBron and his business partner, Maverick Carter, hung out with Nikola Jokić‘s agent, Miško Ražnatović, recently, creating speculation about LeBron joining the Nuggets next offseason when he becomes an unrestricted free agent for the first time since 2018.

However, Carter and Ražnatović were likely talking about the new basketball league Carter is planning to start soon.

“I can report unequivocally the idea that this tweet or Instagram caption was about LeBron playing on the Denver Nuggets next year is unequivocally 100 percent false,” Wright said. “There is a zero percent chance LeBron is on the Nuggets a year from now. That’s not my opinion. I know that.”

LeBron James will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. The last time the NBA icon was a free agent, he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Lakers in July 2018.

A four-time MVP, LeBron could retire from the NBA after next season or decide to play in his 24th campaign in 2026-27. The four-time Finals MVP turns 41 in December.

If LeBron doesn’t retire after next season, it will be fascinating to see where he plays in 2026-27. The Lakers are building around Luka Dončić, who is expected to sign an extension with Los Angeles this weekend, and want to preserve cap space for 2027.

LeBron will always be linked to the Cavaliers since that’s his hometown club. He could always re-sign with the Lakers, too, for cheap since his son, Bronny James, is on the roster.

Next offseason is a long ways away. For now, LeBron is on the Lakers and he will likely play all of next season in Los Angeles next to Dončić and Bronny since his contract makes it too difficult for a contending team to acquire.