Sources: Lakers have no interest in Jimmy Butler in potential LeBron trade

The Los Angeles Lakers have no interest in Golden State Warriors forwards Jimmy Butler or Jonathan Kuminga in a potential LeBron James trade, sources told Lakers Daily.

The Warriors have tried to trade for James “on multiple occasions,” according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. James would have to request a trade from the Lakers to the Warriors to land in Golden State next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green since he has a no-trade clause in his contract.

James, 40, hasn’t requested a trade from the Lakers and doesn’t plan to, sources said. The leading scorer in NBA history will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract.

Butler will make $54.1 million next season. The Warriors would have to trade him to acquire James to match salaries, but the Lakers have zero interest in acquiring Butler.

The same goes for Kuminga, who is a restricted free agent. Golden State and Los Angeles could agree to a sign-and-trade deal involving Kuminga and James, but the Lakers aren’t interested in Kuminga, and James, as mentioned above, hasn’t requested a trade.

A four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP, James has been with the Lakers since 2018. He guided the franchise to the 2020 championship against his former team, the Miami Heat, at the Walt Disney World bubble in six games. Los Angeles also reached the conference finals in 2023, losing to the Denver Nuggets in four games.

All signs point toward James remaining with the Lakers for the entire 2025-26 season. The NBA legend’s son, Bronny James, is his teammate and the Purple and Gold have Luka Doncic and JJ Redick, two people James is close to.

James will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018. If he doesn’t retire from the NBA after the 2025-26 season, James has the option of leaving the Lakers, who lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games.

A future Hall of Famer, James is averaging 26.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks with the Lakers. It will be fascinating to see if next season is his last campaign in Los Angeles.