LeBron James has picked up his eight-figure option with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his SoCal fate is far from assured.
LeBron James isn’t taking his talents anywhere new—for now.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, James closed the weekend by picking up the $52.6 million player option offered on his latest contract from the Los Angeles Lakers.
That hints that James, the four-time NBA champion and MVP, is destined to spend his record-breaking 23rd season in purple and gold, but his longtime friend, business partner, and representative Rich Paul hints that all options will be explored in pursuit of a fifth ring.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul said in Charania’s report. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with [Lakers owner/president] Jeanie [Buss] and ]Lakers general manager] Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
Any and all James rumors tend to dominate NBA offseason narratives. With James potentially near the end of his eventful career, things may only reach a fever pitch.
Will LeBron Return To Cleveland?
Bronny James’ presence— and other factors, such as several business ventures (i.e. his production firm SpringHill Company)—may eventually keep James in Los Angeles, but amateur and professional observers alike will no doubt dream. Some, for example, believe that the Hollywood ending without Hollywood would take him back to Cleveland, where the Akron-born James began his career with the Cavaliers, who earned their first championship under his watch in 2016.
While James continues to post game-changing numbers at age 40 (putting up 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds a game with the Lakers last season), many believes that the end is no doubt near. This season is the latter of a two-year, $104 million contract extension James inked with the Lakers last summer, shortly after Los Angeles used the 55th pick of the 2024 draft on his son Bronny, allowing the duo to become the first father-son tandem to take the floor in an NBA game.
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