India, June 19 -- With LeBron James approaching free agency, speculation about his future with the Lakers has intensified. While the franchise initially appeared open to letting him depart, reports now suggest a shift in stance, with the front office keen on retaining him in Los Angeles.

However, a new update indicates the Lakers may not be willing to meet a max-level deal in their efforts to re-sign the veteran star.

The widely followed X account NBA Central reported on Thursday that the Los Angeles Lakers are not expected to offer LeBron James anything close to a maximum contract, citing ESPN's Dave McMenamin as the source of the update.

"The Lakers are not expected to offer LeBron James anything close to a max contract, per @mcten,"...