LeBron James won’t ask for trade or be traded by Lakers, agent says

LeBron James will stay with the Los Angeles Lakers, agent Rich Paul made it clear to ESPN on Friday.

“LeBron will not be traded, and we're not asking to be traded,” Paul said in response to growing speculation about James' future ahead of next week's trade deadline.

James could have contributed to the whirlwind by put an hourglass emoji on your X account this week after a defeat in Atlanta. He hasn't spoken to reporters since to clarify the message, and he missed the Lakers' win Thursday in Boston with an ankle injury.

The Lakers have been active in trade talks over the past month as they look to bolster a 25-25 team and ninth place in the Western Conference.

James has a $51.4 million player option in his contract for next season with the Lakers. He has until June 29 to exercise the option. His son Bronny, who plays for USC, is a candidate for the NBA draft, scheduled for June 26-27.