Charles Barkley Reveals Two Reasons LeBron James Must Leave the Lakers

One of the biggest uncertainties in the NBA at the moment is LeBron James' career. After James decided not to extend his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, many assumed that he was ready to hang up the laces. However, after expressing interest in playing in his 24th season, we're expecting to see LeBron still gear up. The question is, where?

NBA legend Charles Barkley believes that James should no longer pursue his career with the Lakers. Barkley thinks that staying in LA won't do the King any good. Plus, it'll be best if the Lakers focus on investing in a younger guy like Luka Doncic rather than an aging James.

"It doesn't do (LeBron James) any good staying in LA," Barkley said. "Number one, they're not going to be competitive in the West. And also, it's time for the Lakers to turn the team over to Luka. LeBron's not going to play better as he gets older."

"The Lakers got swept," Barkley added. "Even if they had Luka, they're not a contender in the West. They're not going to compete with the Spurs. They're not gonna compete with OKC or the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 42-year-old guy. They're not going to be competitive. So, if he stays in LA, he's doing it for off-court reasons."

While there might be some truth behind Barkley's sentiments, his opinion regarding Luka Doncic's presence in this year's playoffs not making a difference is a stretch. After an entire season of building their chemistry, we're yet to truly witness the combo of James and Doncic in the playoffs.

In the 2025 NBA playoffs, while they did technically share the hardwood as teammates, the duo didn't have time to find their identity. With that in mind, the more seasoned experience of playing together in the 2025-26 season could've made a difference this postseason.

As of this writing, all we can do is await the King's decision in late June and early July, especially since there are other suitors interested in recruiting him.

Stephen Curry Intends to Recruit LeBron James

One of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history is the pairing between LeBron James and Stephen Curry. For a while now, many basketball fans have wanted to see the two stars pair up. This especially became prominent after witnessing their combination during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Curry himself expressed interest in playing next to the King if given the opportunity. However, it's easier said than done, given how expensive it would be to bring the two together.

Fast forward to the present day, and it appears that the Golden State Warriors are now willing to go the extra mile to bring in James. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Warriors are open to the idea of recruiting James and expect Curry to meet up with him this summer to discuss plans.

"The Warriors are very much open to pursuing LeBron James, and they plan to do so this offseason in free agency," Siegel said. "LeBron James, at the end of his career, he could still contribute at a high level; we saw that in the playoffs. Pairing him with Stephen Curry is going to be something that the Warriors look to pursue over the next few weeks."

"It seemed very doubtful, it seemed low percentage, now it’s kind of questionable," Siegel continued. "Now there’s going to be some legs to this. ... That same source told us that Steph is planning on meeting and talking with LeBron about potentially joining the Warriors over the course of the next few weeks, leading up to free agency."

We're not entirely sure what Curry and the Warriors have planned. But it's worth noting that bringing James in is easier said than done. Golden State is currently deep into the luxury tax, making it nearly impossible to sign LeBron.

The best-case scenario would be if they could get him to agree to a mid-level exception deal, which would pay out approximately $15 million. It'll be interesting to see if Curry could convince James to agree to such terms.