“James' status with the Lakers is the most closely monitored situation in the NBA. Even though he opted into his $52.6 million salary for next season, the decision came with a statement from his agent, Rich Paul, to ESPN's Shams Charania about evaluating what's best for the four-time NBA MVP,” Wells said on Thursday.

With the Los Angeles Lakers reorienting their plans around Luka Dončić and 2027 cap space, LeBron James finds himself in uncharted waters. For the first time in his career, he's not the focal point of his franchise.