In the offseason, LeBron James is “angling” for a multi-year contract with the Lakers.
Even though the NBA season is still in its early stages, many people have already begun to speculate about where LeBron James will play next year and whether or not he will play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
With only a few days until the NBA trade deadline, James sent out a cryptic tweet that ignited a conversation around this subject. It was claimed that the Warriors and Sixers had enquired about a deal for LeBron after the deadline had passed.
Clearly, he remained unmoved, and following these discussions, LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul declared that his client is dedicated to the Lakers, and the player expressed his desire to finish his career as a Laker.
This summer, James won’t become a free agent by default. He can sign his player option and return to Los Angeles for $51.4 million in the 2023–2024 season, but it’s expected that LeBron would turn it down.
Will he sign a new contract with the Lakers if he does, and if so, what would those figures be?
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN on First Take, James is hoping to sign a multi-year contract worth nine figures.
Fans might be hesitant to sign a multi-year contract for a player who is already 39 years old, but this is LeBron. At worst, he is the Lakers’ second-best player and still a starting All-Star. You give that guy his due, express gratitude for his contributions to the team, and plan to improve in the upcoming summer by pursuing a third star.
There is still a long way to go before these decisions are made. The fact that James and the Lakers seem to be clicking for the time being is a relief. A good day today does not guarantee a better day tomorrow. Anything might happen. In order to prevent James from getting a wandering eye or thinking that other locations would be better places for him to play his last years, let’s hope the Lakers can enter the playoffs and win some games.
Keeping an eye on Bronny James, LeBron’s son, is another component.
LeBron may declare for the draft this year and has expressed a desire to play alongside his son. It’s been reported that the Lakers are willing to draft him, but what if another team makes a similar move to try and convince James to join them?
Numerous choices made by the James family appear to have an effect on the Lakers’ roster for the upcoming season. All indications point to LeBron staying in Southern California, which is what supporters want to happen, but we’ll have to wait and see how things work out this summer.