LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James is moving on from the Los Angeles Lakers, per ESPN's Shams Charania, setting up a potential reunion with Cleveland or a chance to join former rival Steph Curry with the Golden State Warriors.

Why it matters: The 41-year-old James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and one of the offseason's most important dominoes.

  • His stint with the Lakers, during which he won the NBA championship in 2020, is the longest in his historic career.

    • What's next: Golden State appears to be the most engaged suitor for James' talents, with insider Marc Stein calling the Warriors "at the front of the line."

    Between the lines: James and Curry would headline roster of aging superstars that would likely have difficulty keeping pace in a Western Conference now dominated by the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

    The intrigue: The Cavaliers, James' hometown team with whom he won a dramatic championship in 2016, are lurking.

  • James recently went on a European trip with members of the 2016 team to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their title.
  • And he has been in Akron recently, posting photos from local golf courses and gyms — wearing a St. Vincent St. Mary T-shirt, no less — possible evidence of an impending reunion.

    • The bottom line: James has always been finely attuned to his own perceived legacy, especially as it stacks up to NBA legends. He will undoubtedly hope to land on a team with deep postseason aspirations.

  • But this very well may be the final season of his career. His priority at this juncture, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, is "happiness and not money."