Next up for LeBron James and the Lakers is the playoff series against the Nuggets. It’s a challenge, obviously, given that Denver is the team that swept the Lakers out of the postseason last year, but this Lakers team is supposed to be a contender. As coach Darvin Ham indicated, the plan was never to try to dodge anyone in the path between the play-in and the Finals.

Still, the fact that the Lakers are a No. 7 seed for the second straight year does raise some concerns about the long term in L.A. While there is certainly a case to be made for tearing things down and rebuilding the Lakers, amassing draft picks and cap space in an environment where so few teams have ample space to use on free agents, there’s no indication that is the plan.

Certainly not with James. Still, the expectation remains that he will opt out of his current contract as it stands, and technically be a free agent after that.

“I think that is a foregone conclusion,” one Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports. “I think he will opt out, he will want the full option they can give him (a three-year, $162 million contract) and they will have to put in the (no-)trade clause, too.”

LeBron James ‘Has Earned’ a No-Trade Clause

Making a move that would not only keep James in place but would give him a no-trade clause to boot would be ceding control of the franchise’s next three seasons to James. There is a chance, of course, that the Lakers could balk at giving James all three seasons, but there may not be much choice in the matter.

If the Lakers want to keep moving forward with James—and those at the top certainly do—then the team might as well give him the full extension available to him. James is 39 years old, which comes with some risk. But he has averaged 25.7 points, on 54.0% shooting and 41.0% 3-point shooting (a career high) to go with 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists.

The Lakers are not going to find players capable of putting up those numbers, at any age, any time soon. They have little choice but to pay out for James.

And they’re likely to have no problem handing out the no-trade clause, either. James already, effectively, has one.

“Look you do not trade LeBron James at this point in his career if you do not know that it is something he wants,” the executive said. “He’s not a fourth-year mid-rotation guy here. He’s LeBron James. He’s earned it. So the Lakers, if they were going to trade him, would always make sure they go to him first and get his stamp on it. So a no-trade clause, it just formalizes what’s already going on.”

Lakers Likely to Give No-Trade Clause

That was a similar case with Washington Wizards former star Bradley Beal, who is the only player with a no-trade clause in the league. He waived the clause to be traded to the Suns, but the Wizards needed his approval to make the deal happen.

Earlier this month, ESPN veteran LeBron-watcher Brian Windhorst said on the “Hoops Collective” podcast that even if James does not take three years from the Lakers, he will still want the clause.

“I think LeBron’s gonna opt out no matter what,” Windhorst said. “And the reason I think he’s gonna opt out no matter what is even if he just signs back for one year, the only functional way for LeBron to get a no-trade clause is to sign a new contract. … And I think for a number of different reasons, LeBron would like, ask for and probably be granted a no-trade clause.

“There may be some debate between him and the Lakers whether he should get three years, whether the third year would be a team option or a player option or not guaranteed or whatever.”