LeBron James opted out of his contract during the 2024 NBA offseason, but there was little doubt he’d return to the Lakers on a new deal.
James expressed a desire to play with his son Bronny, who the Lakers drafted 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. That occurred before James’ opt-out, so many believed he simply canceled the final year of his deal to sign the biggest, short-term deal he could. That would give him maximum flexibility — and earnings potential — to close his NBA career.
Mission accomplished.
James not only inked a two-year contract with a player option for the 2025-26 NBA season. He also managed to get something few players in NBA history have received: a full no-trade clause.
Here’s a look at the full details of James’ pact with the Lakers and why his no-trade clause will give him full control over his situation during the twilight of his career.
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LeBron James contract details
- Length: Two years
- Value: $104 million
- AAV: $52 million
James is set to make up to $104 million as part of his two-year extension with the Lakers. However, the second year of the contract is a player option. That will allow James maximum flexibility, as he will be able to opt out of the contract and either re-sign a new, short-term, market-setting deal with the Lakers or pursue a contract with another team if he believes Los Angeles’ window for title contention has closed.
Additionally, James won’t have to deal with outside news about trade rumors, something that cropped up during the 2023-24 NBA season. The Lakers included in his contract a rare, full no-trade clause that allows him to control whether Los Angeles can offload him via trade.
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NBA players with full no-trade clauses
Just how rare is a no-trade clause in the NBA? James is one of 10 players in NBA history to be awarded the guarantee as part of a contract extension. He is the only one to have the provision included in his contract twice.
The list of players to earn full no-trade clauses is as follows:
- David Robinson, Spurs
- John Stockton, Jazz
- Kobe Bryant, Lakers
- Tim Duncan, Spurs
- Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves
- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
- Dwyane Wade, Heat
- LeBron James, Cavaliers
- Carmelo Anthony, Knicks
- Bradley Beal, Wizards
- LeBron James, Lakers
Ironically, Anthony and Beal — the two most recent players to agree to no-trade clauses before James — were traded before their respective contracts were up. They just had to approve their trade destinations. Anthony did that to join the Thunder, who waived him, in 2018; Beal agreed to join the Suns during the 2023 offseason.
James could orchestrate a similar move if he doesn’t believe the Lakers are poised to contend. However, given the terms of his contract — which isn’t a long-term extension, like many of the other players on this list — it’s more likely he would opt out of his contract following the season and sign elsewhere.
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What is a no-trade clause in the NBA?
If a player has a no-trade clause in his contract, he has the right to veto any trade in which he is involved.
Per the NBA’s last Collective Bargaining Agreement, which went into effect during the 2023-24 NBA season, a player must meet specific criteria in order to receive a no-trade clause in his contract:
A Player Contract entered into by a player who has eight (8) or more Years of Service in the NBA and who has rendered four (4) or more Years of Service for the Team entering into such Contract may contain a prohibition or limitation of such Team’s right to trade such Contract to another NBA Team.
James just finished his sixth season with the Lakers and has played 21 NBA seasons, so he more than meets the requirements needed to include a no-trade clause in his contract.
James is now one of just two active NBA players with a no-trade clause in his contract. The other is Suns guard Bradley Beal.
TSN’s Gilbert McGregor also contributed to this report.