LeBron James thanks LA Lakers ahead of free agency exit for 24th season

LeBron James thanks LA Lakers ahead of free agency exit for 24th seasonAfter eight years at the LA Lakers, James’s next destination will be decided in NBA’s imminent free agency period.LeBron James thanked the Los Angeles Lakers for allowing him to wear the storied ⁠team’s purple and gold colours after the NBA club wished “one of the greatest athletes in history” all the best in his impending free agency.The four-time NBA champion and league’s all-time leading scorer has spent the last eight seasons of his glittering career with ⁠the Lakers, leading them to a title in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic after two separate stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and four years with the Miami Heat.“No, THANK YOU!” James said on social media in response to a Lakers post that wished him all the best.“Truly an honor to wear the [Lakers colours] while trying to continue the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a ‌few proud during my stint.”Where James plays next is now the most compelling storyline of the NBA’s free agency period, which opens later on Tuesday.The 41-year-old, who last March surpassed Robert Parish’s record for most career regular-season games played, has continued to perform at an elite level despite his age.Last February, he earned a league-record 22nd consecutive All-Star selection.“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said in a post that James responded to. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers, including the title he led us to in 2020 under the ⁠toughest imaginable circumstances, and the countless records he broke in purple and gold.“We wish him all ⁠the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”Father-son duoIn a testament to his durability, James and his son Bronny became the first father-son duo to play together in a regular-season NBA game in October 2024, fulfilling what he ⁠had long said was one of his remaining basketball goals.