June 29: The first notable news was James' decision to exercise his player option for the upcoming season, something he had not done before in his career. Accompanying James' decision was a somewhat ominous statement from his agent, Rich Paul, who spoke on his client's immediate future.

As rumors continue to swirl surrounding star forward LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers, one insider recently painted a bleak outlook.

Former Lakers Coach Joins Mavericks After LeBron James Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports.