LeBron James has officially picked up his $52.6 million player option to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025-26 season. Some viewed it as a loyalty move to help the team chase another championship. But not everyone is applauding the move or the financial dynamics behind it.
On his podcast, Gil’s Arena, former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas weighed in on the situation with a sharp critique of both the Lakers organization and public expectations of players like LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Arenas questioned why players are expected to sacrifice their salaries to pursue a championship, while team owners are rarely held to the same standard.
“Okay, so in real time, when people talk about, would you sacrifice money for a ring, and all those people that say they would, in real time, the players are telling you they wouldn’t, right? Because they’ve never sacrificed for actual rings, because the biggest conversation is, You want a millionaire to sacrifice for a ring, but the billionaire won’t,” Arenas said.
Gilbert Arenas says people expect LeBron James and Austin Reaves to accept pay cuts to help the Lakers win a chip, yet the team's billionaire owners are unwilling to pay the luxury tax to improve the roster. why should players sacrifice while the owners don’t pic.twitter.com/x5SLMuy9hv
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Chatnigga101) June 30, 2025
Arenas also addressed the broader implications of LeBron’s deal. From Arenas’ perspective, if winning a title was the top priority, James might have considered restructuring his deal to make it easier for a team.
“According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, there’s currently no trade market for LeBron right now. Now, if he wanted to win a ring here or anywhere, you would restructure your deal for a lower price, where now whoever’s trading for you don’t have to give up half the team,” he added.
Theo Pinson Weighs In On LeBron James’ Trade Speculation
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LeBron James’ longtime agent, Rich Paul, recently made headlines by suggesting that LeBron would consider a trade if the Los Angeles Lakers fail to assemble a championship-level roster. The statement has sparked widespread speculation about the star’s future with the team. Former Dallas Mavericks guard Theo Pinson also indicated his belief that LeBron could soon move on from Los Angeles.
“Bron leaving LA,” he wrote on X.
At the same time, Jovan Buha pointed out that the Dallas Mavericks are a team to keep a close watch on if LeBron were to request a trade. It’s uncertain whether the King will stay with the Lakers in pursuit of another championship run.
