LeBron James in Talks for New Lakers Deal Before Free Agency Begins

It sounds like the free agency sweepstakes for LeBron James could come to an end before July even arrives.

James had a strong postseason for the Lakers, averaging 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game. The 41-year-old superstar led his squad to the second round before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While retirement has been mentioned before, all signs point to James returning for the 2026-27 season. The future Hall of Famer previously said that he could wait until July or August to make a decision.

"I think at some point, up in June, late June, as July rolls around, free agency gets going," James said. "As July's rolling maybe into August, we start to kind of get a feel of what my future may look like, if it's continuing to play the game that I love- which I know I can still give so much to the game, and play at a high level- or if it's not."

The latest report, however, suggests that James may have his mind made up by mid-June.

Staying in Los Angeles?

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Lakers are already negotiating a deal with James.

"I think the focus right now is making a deal with the Lakers," Windhorst said Tuesday on ESPN Cleveland. "Right now he's allowed to negotiate with the Lakers and I believe they are negotiating, I believe they're going back and forth."

Windhorst previously said the Lakers need to present a good plan in order to retain James at a reasonable salary.

"The LeBron side, from what I am told, would like the Lakers to come and say, ‘LeBron, here's our plan for you. Here's what we're offering.' And if they're offering less than the max, here's why: ‘Because we're going to use this cap space to sign these players, and this is where you slot in.'"

We'll see if the Lakers can secure a new deal with James in the coming days.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 8:01 PM.