June 29: The first notable news was James' decision to exercise his player option for the upcoming season, something he had not done before in his career. Accompanying James' decision was a somewhat ominous statement from his agent, Rich Paul, who spoke on his client's immediate future.

LeBron James has surprised many by locking in his final player option - $52.6 million to return for the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Lakers - yet his confidence in the franc