LeBron James ' future with the Los Angeles Lakers remains uncertain. James is set to become a free agent in the upcoming offseason, and questions about whether he'll stay as a Laker only intensified after franchise governor Jeanie Buss expressed her frustration with the superstar.
James' recent comments when asked if he wants to finish the season with the Lakers also didn't exactly scream positivity.
Unsurprisingly, several reports have since emerged that James could be dealt by the Lakers before the trade deadline or leave during the offseason.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line even noted that the Golden State Warriors are "exploring the prospect of teaming James with Stephen Curry at last once LeBron becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30."
Former NBA fan-favorite Nate Robinson , however, isn't a big fan of that idea. For one, the three-time Dunk Contest champion doesn't want to see James joining a star-studded team in search of a championship. Furthermore, Robinson stated that he wants to see James retire as a Laker.
"I don't know if they're gonna trade LeBron or what they wanna do with LeBron. Who knows? That'll be a shocker to see if he leaves or go anywhere," Robinson said while speaking with Athlon Sports via prediction market overview at Casino.org .
"Talking about the impossible and him going to the Warriors, but I don't wanna see that. I wanna see LeBron retire as a Laker. I'm tired of him going to team up with everybody and hooping with guys."
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks on during a game.© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Is LeBron James Leaving the Lakers?
The NBA trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. on Thursday, so the wait won't be long to see if the Lakers will do something with James.
However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN believes James won't be traded at the deadline. Instead, he sees the 41-year-old either taking a pay cut to return to the Lakers, joining another team, or retiring in the offseason.
"There is a thirty-threeish percent chance that LeBron comes back to the Lakers on a reduced contract as they build around Luka Doncic ," Windhorst said during an appearance on Get Up.
"This is not a championship team. I am not sure they can be a championship team next year. Two years now, that's possible. Can LeBron be in the NBA two years from now? It's possible."
James is averaging 21.9 points on 50.2% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals, so he can definitely still contribute to a team. Whether that's with the Lakers moving forward remains to be seen.
Related: NBA Dunk Legend Nate Robinson Announces Career Move
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

