Brian Windhorst: ‘I don’t sense that LeBron wants to leave the Lakers’

ESPN insider Brian Windhorst doesn’t believe that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wants to leave the team even though he could become a free agent next offseason.

James is entering the final year of his contract in the 2022-23 season, but the Lakers could extend his deal as well beyond the 2022-23 campaign.

James, who came to the Lakers following the 2017-18 season, has already won an NBA title with the team during the 2019-20 season.

Although the Lakers seem to be building their roster for the future with James in mind, he has left his last two destinations (Cleveland and Miami) after four years. The 2022-23 season will be James’ fourth with the Lakers.

Los Angeles has paired James with superstar forward Anthony Davis, and it appears the team may try to make things work with Davis, James and Russell Westbrook again in the 2022-23 season.

The Lakers missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 season, but it wasn’t due to poor play from James. The four-time NBA champion averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc.

James did miss 26 games for Los Angeles due to various injuries. However, with a full offseason to recover, he should be close to 100 percent in the 2022-23 season.

It’s a positive sign for Lakers fans that Windhorst, who has covered James for his entire career, doesn’t think the Lakers star wants to leave Los Angeles.

It will be interesting to see how James and the Lakers approach extension talks as the team prepares for the 2022-23 season.