The Los Angeles Lakers are drawing up backup plans in case LeBron James does not re-sign with them or give them an answer in time for free agency. Vincent Goodwill said the team has already started thinking in contingencies, a sign the deadline is no longer abstract.
That deadline arrives Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, when James becomes a free agent and the negotiating period opens. He has spent the past eight seasons with the Lakers, and what happens next could reshape not just their roster plans, but the market around him.
Goodwill said the Lakers have reached out to a few agents with a simple message: if they do not get an answer from James, they will move on to other options, particularly players who play his position. That is a practical hedge, not a public breakup, but it shows the team is preparing for the possibility that silence lasts long enough to matter.
The uncertainty has built for days. Two weeks ago, Marc J. Spears said James was “likely” to re-sign with the Lakers. But on Monday, Brian Windhorst said there had been no further talks, no offer from the Lakers, and James had not made himself available to meet with the team yet. Windhorst also said the No. 1 thing for James next season is happiness, not money.
That last point changes the way the decision is being read. If money is not the driving factor, then the Lakers cannot simply wait for a number to settle the issue. They have to weigh fit, timing and whether James wants to stay in a situation that still has enough pull to keep him from testing the market.
Elsewhere, the ripple effect is already visible. Shams Charania reported Monday that Draymond Green declined his $27.6 million player option for 2026-27, giving the Warriors the flexibility to potentially pursue James. Charania also said they could look at a trade for Anthony Davis through the Washington Wizards, a reminder that James’ decision would not stay contained to Los Angeles if he truly becomes available.
The Lakers have their own reasons to be careful before the clock runs out. Luka Dončić is signed through at least 2028, and Austin Reaves is under contract through at least 2029 after a four-year, $184.8 million extension. That gives the team structure, but it does not give them the same room to ignore a decision from the one player whose name still changes the terms.
So the next move belongs to James. If he re-signs, the Lakers can stop planning around uncertainty. If he does not answer in time, they will not wait politely at the door. They are already looking for the door handle on the other side.
