Under normal circumstances, a team signing LeBron James would be a celebratory moment.
Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Lakers, keeping James comes after the team missed out on making any significant roster additions during the first wave of free agency.
The four-time NBA MVP did agree to a two-year, $104 million deal that includes a player option for 2025-26 and a full no-trade clause to stay with the Lakers, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Fan response to the move was focused on trolling the Lakers’ title chances for the 2024-25 season since they are currently set to run it back with most of the players they had from a team that finished eighth in the Western Conference last season.
Prior to James agreeing to his deal, the Lakers hadn’t given out a contract this free-agent period. They did work out four-year, $32 million agreement with restricted free agent Max Christie shortly before free agency began.
There was some talk that James might be willing to take a pay cut if the Lakers were able to sign players who would upgrade their roster.
Rich Paul, James’ agent, told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that his client was “prioritizing a roster improvement” and was “adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster.”
McMenamin cited James Harden, Klay Thompson and Jonas Valančiūnas as the types of players James would have been willing to give up some money for if it helped bring them to the Lakers.
Harden agreed to return to the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal. Valančiūnas is joining the Washington Wizards on a three-year, $30 million contract. Thompson is going to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets.
As things currently stand, DeMar DeRozan is probably the best available free agent. He wouldn’t solve the Lakers’ need for three-point shooting. There’s also the question about how the spacing would work with DeRozan living in the mid-range on a team with James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers still have one notable trade chip they could use in an attempt to upgrade their roster. D’Angelo Russell’s decision to opt in to his $18.7 million salary for next season makes him a strong candidate to be moved.
Right now, though, the Lakers are bringing back their 11 of their top 13 players in scoring average from last season. That group led them to a 47-35 record and a playoff appearance that ended with a first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Even though optimism for a title in 2024-25 doesn’t seem high right now, at least Lakers fans get to keep watching James play for them.