"LeBron James whisperer" claims Lakers star is set to become Free Agent in 2024:"Intends to opt out of his contract"

Now that the LA Lakers' season has come to an end, LeBron James has a big decision to make regarding his future. Following their Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets, one insider shared what he feels the 20-time All-Star is going to do next.

In regards to the final year of his contract, LeBron could either accept his player option or hit the market as an unrestricted free agent. On ESPN's "Get Up," Brian Windhorst said that he believes the Lakers star will work out a new deal this summer.

"I do LeBron intends to opt out of his contract and become a free agent for the first time since 2018," Windhorst said. "I think that will apply a little bit of pressure to the Lakers."

LeBron James' player option next year is worth $51.4 million. At the age of 39, he is still one of the most productive stars in the league. This season, he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists.

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Lakers open to drafting Bronny James to try and keep LeBron James

If LeBron James does decide to decline his player option, he can still return to the LA Lakers. The two would simply have to negotiate terms of a new deal. Recent reports indicate that the front office is willing to help him achieve his goal to try and keep him in LA.

In a story for The Athletic, Shams Charania touched on what could be on the horizon for LeBron. He cited that the Lakers might consider drafting Bronny James to allow the star forward to play with his son.

"What's more, team sources say the Lakers are very open to the prospect of helping LeBron fulfill his dream of playing with his son Bronny by potentially drafting him."

Following his freshman year at USC, Bronny has not made a final decision on what he plans to do next year. He entered the transfer portal, but also declared for the draft. Bronny is expected to work out for teams and gauge his stock before deciding what's next for him. The Lakers have one second-round pick at their disposal in this year's draft.

Over the past few years, LeBron has made it clear he wants to play alongside his son. The way he lined up his contract to match Bronny's timeline entering the NBA is a testament to that. If the Lakers are serious about keeping LeBron around moving forward, using their second-round pick on Bronny might be a smart choice.

The Lakers' success has been up and down during LeBron James' tenure with the team. While they managed to win a championship in 2020, things have been rocky since. With their recent exit, they've missed the playoffs or been bounced in the first round three of the last four years.