During the latest episode of “The Hoops Collective,” Windhorst suggested that James did ask for more years on his contract to remain in Los Angeles, despite the future Hall of Famer saying otherwise. The popular ESPN analyst also claimed that the Lakers are making moves to protect their salary situation, not just for 2027, but for 2026 as well.

Windhorst continued his case by stating that the Lakers never asked James for additional years in their contract talks. As such, James' decision to pick up his player option for next season as opposed to opting out and signing a two-year deal with them might not be what he initially planned:

After a weird statement released by Rich Paul, several teams have reached out to the Lakers regarding LeBron James.