Lakers Insider: Is LeBron’s Controversial Ad Hinting at His Final Season? The Theme Might Be the Eternal King

On September 3rd Beijing time, Lakers star LeBron James’ latest commercial sparked widespread discussion. In the ad, LeBron places a golden crown on his head, with a voiceover mentioning how he has defeated every opponent and surpassed every idol, culminating in the ad’s theme: the Eternal King. Lakers’ well-known insider Buha discussed this topic on a podcast, suggesting that LeBron might be hinting through the ad that the 2025-26 season will be his last.

“I agree with Zach Lowe’s analysis; that ad from LeBron feels like he’s implying ‘this could be his final season.’ Of course, this is just my speculation, but judging by the content and tone of the ad, it does carry a sense of ‘a farewell season’ — maybe he’ll officially announce before the season starts that this is his last year, with the theme being ‘Eternal King.’”

“I might be misinterpreting the ad or overanalyzing its tone, but that’s my personal impression. Naturally, until LeBron himself makes an official statement, nothing is certain. I guess if this really is his final season, there will be a formal announcement — maybe Shams will tweet it, or LeBron will release a video himself. So until then, we have to assume he’ll keep playing, at least in the short term. But the ad’s implications definitely raise awareness and spark a lot of discussion.”

Recently, there has also been much debate about whether LeBron will leave the Lakers. Buha emphasized his viewpoint during a livestream: “I still believe LeBron will attend Lakers media day and training camp and play through the entire season. But if he wants to leave, two conditions must be met — first, this truly is his final season — he will be desperate to win, giving his all for a championship in his last year, aiming for his fifth ring; second, the Lakers must be performing poorly, showing no signs of contending.”

“We can first set a baseline for the Lakers. I previously ranked them fifth in the West, part of the second tier — behind the Thunder and Nuggets, alongside the Rockets, Timberwolves, Clippers, and Warriors, possibly near the bottom of that group. Of course, the Warriors’ situation depends on how the Kuminga issue resolves. But the Lakers might also play at a top-two or top-three level in the West, or only enough for the play-in tournament. Right now, no one can say for sure.”

“Therefore, only if ‘this is LeBron’s final season’ and ‘the Lakers are underperforming (for example, hovering around a 50% win rate, only qualifying for the play-in)’ are both true, would he consider requesting a trade around the deadline to join a genuine contender.”