Famous reporter: James did not apply for a deal or buyout, he knew in his heart that the threat of leaving the team no longer exists

July 27th News Today, NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote a predictive report on LeBron James's career season 23. Excerpts are as follows:

As August approaches, I expect LeBron James to welcome his eighth consecutive Lakers training camp at the end of September. This will be the longest continuous time he has played for a team in his career. During this offseason, he did not apply for a deal or request a buyout. He also knew very well that even if these requirements were made, they might not be able to be realized.

I think this prediction is correct because James has a very thorough understanding of the dynamics of the league. Deep in his heart, there is no understanding that the threat of his departure from the Lakers next summer is no longer there. In the first 22 seasons of his career, every team he is on is worried that he will leave, but the industry generally believes that the best solution for the Lakers' future is to let James' contract end naturally after the 2025-26 season. If you read the statement made by Ritchie Paul when he announced that James would implement the player option decision (with the full text attached), this understanding is actually implied in the article.