The Lakers are looking set to have an almost completely new roster on the court next season as they build with the cap space they got after LeBron James reportedly decided he is not coming back to Los Angeles in the purple and gold jersey next season.
Ric Bucher of Fox Sports, however, suggests that the Lakers’ front office seems to have twisted the media narrative to make it seem like it was LeBron James who decided to leave and not them who pushed him out.
“I do want to touch on the LeBron James situation because I’ve been wondering how this was going to play out ever since the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic. And it became clear that they were ready to move on without LeBron unless he was willing to swallow a huge slice of humble pie along with a massive pay cut to stay in a Lakers uniform,” said Bucher on the ‘On the Ball’ podcast.
“How does someone who has had the incredible career that LeBron has had make an exit that befits who he has been all these years? Graceful exits, after all, have not been his thing.”
“I had to smile when it was reported that LeBron had informed the Lakers he didn’t intend to play for them next year, as if the Lakers weren’t already planning for that to be the case. But kudos to the Lakers for allowing LeBron to present it that way and preserve some dignity on the way out,” claimed Bucher.
“The Rich Paul propaganda about contacting every team in the league to determine the interest in LeBron is just window dressing. If teams were interested, he wouldn’t have to reach out to them.”
“It’s a sign that LeBron and Rich are struggling with the new reality, which is that LeBron simply isn’t valued the way he once was. He does not have the leverage he once did, which is not an indictment. No one is going to invest in a player who is turning 42 years old next season and comes with all the outsized attention and servicing that LeBron does,” Bucher further explained.
So, Bucher feels that while it was the Lakers’ front office that decided to push James out, they made it seem like it was James who did not want to return, just so he could retain some leverage in free agency.
It does make sense to the extent that, at age 41, if James wanted to actually test his value in free agency, he would want teams to make offers to him without the hesitation that he prefers staying with the Lakers, who could match any offer for him.
Therefore, to put the Lakers completely out of the equation, it is possible that the report of James making the decision could be an attempt to twist the narrative in his favor.
Ric Bucher Explains Why Cavaliers Are The Best Landing Spot For LeBron James
Three teams are widely considered the favorites to potentially land LeBron James: the Warriors, the Heat, and the Cavaliers, among multiple other reported teams.
After addressing his time on the Lakers, the Fox Sports analyst dove into the next phase of LeBron James’ career and where he can head in free agency.
“The only place that makes any sense is for him to return to Cleveland, where it all began. I can see the Cavaliers entertaining that because they have a very good team, but LeBron’s playmaking and experience could give them a boost, and there isn’t a player or personality currently there that is bigger than him,” Bucher said.
“If he goes to Golden State, he is joining Steph Curry’s team. And while it wouldn’t be exactly like Kevin Durant joining the Warriors because they are no longer a championship-caliber team, it would have the same aroma. We can argue all day long about who the bigger star is. Not the better player, but the bigger star, but we can’t argue about the hierarchy.”
“In the Bay Area, Steph was always bigger than KD, no matter what he did. And the same would be true with LeBron. I seriously doubt LeBron wants to live that reality. If he had, he would have been more amenable to staying in LA,” said Bucher as he explained why James should not join the Warriors.
“I also do not doubt that Pat Riley would entertain bringing LeBron back if he thought it would give the Miami Heat a better chance of winning. But this isn’t LeBron going to join Chris Bosch and one of his best friends, Dwayne Wade, at the height of his power.”
“This is joining Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Two relative strangers, two guys who don’t feel any particular allegiance to LeBron. Two guys who are the true core of what the Heat are trying to build. LeBron would be an add-on, a complementary piece.”
“Giannis has even thrown some shade LeBron’s way by saying he’s never been interested in joining a super team, that doing so is the easy way to chase a title. All of which is why going back to Cleveland makes the most sense to find some semblance of a Swan song that is worthy of LeBron’s career,” explained Bucher.Â
“Thomas Wolf wrote a famous book titled You Can’t Go Home Again, which is about how returning to where we started can never be the same because over time we change as people and the place we’re from changes as well.”
“All of which is true about LeBron and Cleveland or the Cavs. But LeBron has broken so many precedents. Maybe, just maybe, he can pull this off, too,” concluded Bucher.
The 41-year-old is likely evaluating multiple options on which team to join, as teams like the 76ers and the Timberwolves are reportedly also making a push to land his services.
LeBron James ended the 2025-26 season averaging 21.3 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 50.5% from the field and 31.9% from beyond the arc in the 70 games he played (including the playoffs). This shows he still contributes at a high level even at this age.
It will certainly be fascinating to see which team eventually ends up with LeBron James in 2026-27.
