LeBron James will play next season, just not with the Lakers - BERITAJA

LeBron James is continuing his record-setting NBA career, but he won’t do it pinch the Lakers.

The 41-year-old superstar informed the Lakers he felt it was champion to portion ways, The Times confirmed. James, who will widen his ain NBA grounds for seasons played to 24, is pursuing a statement pinch different NBA team, according to group acquainted pinch the business not authorized to talk it publicly.

James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per crippled past play for the Lakers while claiming a slew of NBA records, including marks for games played, all-time wins and section goals made. After 8 seasons pinch the Lakers, he became an unrestricted free supplier and flirted pinch retirement. Despite his age, he was still considered 1 of the apical free agents successful a comparatively pedestrian class.

James earned his grounds 22nd All-Star appearance past season, maintained his streak of averaging much than 20 points per crippled each play of his profession and willed a shorthanded Lakers squad past the Houston Rockets successful the first information of the playoffs past season.

But he besides gave up crushed successful his decades-long bout pinch Father Time.

James missed the first 14 games of the play while dealing pinch a correct sciatic nervus issue, marking the first clip successful his profession that he wasn’t fresh to suit up for the play opener. His 15.3 section extremity attempts per crippled was a profession low, and he was ineligible for end-of-season awards because he missed 22 regular-season games, ending his streak of 21 years pinch All-NBA honors.

The Lakers needed James to scope the 2nd information of the Western Conference playoffs past play — erstwhile the squad was without prima Luka Doncic for the full postseason — but the NBA’s all-time starring scorer was group to return a supporting domiciled wrong the franchise.

Doncic, 27, remains the apical privilege for the Lakers. Doncic signed a three-year, $165-million statement hold past summer. The Lakers besides wanted to support 28-year-old Austin Reaves, who declined a subordinate action to position himself for a well-deserved raise during a captious summertime for the Lakers.

Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic high-five aft Doncic scored connected a important three-point changeable successful overtime against the Knicks astatine Crypto.com Arena successful March.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

With 8 players from past year’s roster entering unrestricted free agency aliases holding subordinate options, the Lakers were successful position to wholly remake their roster about Doncic 2 offseasons aft the Slovenian superstar landed successful the Lakers’ laps successful a mind-blowing waste and acquisition pinch the Dallas Mavericks.

President of hoops operations and wide head Rob Pelinka said aft the play that the roster would beryllium “retrofitted” about Doncic, meaning the Lakers wanted to target athletic, defensive-minded wings, knock-down shooters and a rim-running center.