LeBron James' future is still unknown. Will the LA Lakers star demand a trade, will the Lakers want him to leave, or will the Purple & Gold eventually buy him out before the season starts? The possibilities of every kind have been discussed.According to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, the four-time NBA champion should go back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Friday's "First Take," Smith said that James had no chance of winning a title with the Lakers next season."I saw the Cleveland Cavaliers this past season," Smith said. "But the absence of help during the postseason was very glaring. ... And then I thought about Los Angeles. ... It has become crystal clear that pretty much the weather in Hollywood is all the reason why LeBron is there cause he damn sure he ain't winning a championship there."Smith added that James had a better chance to win another ring in a wide open Eastern Conference."It has got to a point, I think it warrants it," Smith said. "Why don't you just come back to Cleveland and end your career. ... Let me say, this cannot be disputed, he have a chance to winning a championship in Cleveland than he would with LA. The road through the Western Conference is arduous, to say the least, than the Eastern Conference."This is the first time in James' career that he seems to be out of leverage to influence his team. The Lakers have already made their message clear about their future, seemingly giving the keys to Luka Doncic.LeBron James could potentially retire as a Laker next seasonAs ugly this offseason has become for LeBron James and the Lakers, there are serious conversations about James hanging up his boots after the next season. When James picked the player option in his contract, there was a backlash from fans about him not taking a lower salary to give the Lakers a chance to improve the roster.Since then, he has been in almost every trade discussion, and last month, some even predicted that LeBron and his son, Bronny, could be traded to the New York Knicks.According to ClutchPoints' Anthony Irwin on July 16, James will "likely" end his career as a Laker. He would be one of the starters for the Lakers next season and retire from basketball. James has a no-trade clause in his contract. The only way he would get out of Los Angeles would be through a buyout.