LeBron’s $52 Million Nightmare: Why He’s Trapped with the Lakers

September 2, 2025

LeBron James is not going to get traded this season. It’s not because teams would not want him, but because the math and the current situation just do not work.

At $52.6 million, any team trying to land James would have to gut its roster to make the money match, leaving him in a worse spot than the one he is already in with the Los Angeles Lakers repping the purple and gold. 

LeBron’s contract makes a trade nearly impossible

Jared Greenberg said, “The only way for him to be traded at the salary number that he’s making is to rip apart a team he would go to… which then leaves him in a precarious situation once again, because it isn’t any better than playing with Luka Doncic, a top-five player in the league.”

That is the plain and simple truth. LeBron wants to play for a contender, but contenders will not be able to afford him without sacrificing the very thing that makes them competitive.

Even if James goes back to the Cleveland Cavaliers to complete the “storybook ending” option, the team would still have to make major sacrifices to bring him home. If a deal gets done, maybe Donovan Mitchell does not get dealt, maybe he will be able to form a duo with Bron, but with that being said, Greenberg does not buy the upgrade. 

“Going to play in Cleveland at home, the friendly confines with Donovan Mitchell is not a better situation on the surface than playing with Luka Doncic in L.A.,” he said.

That statement is true. Doncic is a once-in-a-generation talent, and with his new look, he is poised to have an MVP year once again.

So here we are. LeBron’s 22nd All-Star appearance is behind him. He is clearly no longer the undisputed face of the franchise. And for the first time in his career, he will start the season on an expiring contract with no player options attached.

The Lakers are still figuring themselves out, but they have made some great moves this offseason. If Doncic stays healthy, they have a real shot to make some noise in a loaded Western Conference.

There is an opportunity here for LeBron to lean into something different. Not chasing the next superteam or forcing a new storyline, but embracing the one he is already in. He is still in the mix, still in Los Angeles, and still capable of impacting winning at the highest level.

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