🚨 Rob Pelinka Says Lakers Would “Love To Have LeBron James Back Next Season” — Will The King Return? 🏀👑

In his annual exit interview with the media on Tuesday, Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka expressed the team’s strong desire to have LeBron James return for another season, following the superstar’s eighth year with the franchise. James, who signed with the Lakers in 2018, has become a central figure in the team’s success, and Pelinka made it clear that the organization values his contributions immensely.

“We probably haven’t seen a player that has honored the game to the extent that he’s honored the game,” Pelinka said. “He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization. And the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back.”

Pelinka acknowledged that the decision regarding James’ future, as he approaches unrestricted free agency, will ultimately be in the hands of James and his family. The Lakers plan to be patient as they allow James the time he needs to consider whether he wants to continue playing in the NBA.

“The first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are,” Pelinka said. “Does he want to play another year in the NBA? And that’ll be [decided through] family time, I think time with his inner circle. And we just want to honor that for him.”

James, who remains one of the top players in the league at 41 years old, was named an All-Star this season, further underscoring his continued impact on the game. Pelinka reiterated how fortunate any team would be to have James on their roster, including the Lakers.

“Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster,” Pelinka said. “That’s a blessing in itself just with what he does.”

In addition to James, Austin Reaves is also set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Pelinka expressed a strong interest in retaining Reaves, who has quickly become a key player for the Lakers.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. … Both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”

As the Lakers navigate an offseason filled with important decisions, both James’ and Reaves’ futures are at the forefront of their plans, with Pelinka making it clear that the team is committed to honoring their desires and continuing to build a championship-contending roster.