LA Lakers has scored a big victory by winning back the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James. According to multiple reports, the basketball superstar has agreed to a new two-year $104 million maximum deal that will keep the power forward on the roster. The purported development emerged a week after James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, told ESPN that he had opted out of his 2024-25 deal with the big league team to strike out a new partnership with the Lakers.
According to ESPN, the new agreement includes a player option for 2025-26 and a no-trade clause. It will likely lock James’ Lakers connection until he turns 41 unless he decides to drop out of the contract midway.
What’s brewing between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers?
Allowing one of the biggest representatives of the sport to assess his NBA future with the Lakers next season, this off-season decision marks James’ 22nd comeback in the league. The whopping deal, however, will put a cap on roster flexibility moving forward by putting the high-spending team nearly $1 million over the additional salary threshold of the NBA’s second apron.
Sources claimed that the Klutch Sports CEO is considering discussing the case with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka so that they could keep the team under the $188.9 million second apron.
As the off-season game plan brews in the background, the NBA legend and his son Bronny James could make NBA history, becoming the first active father-son duo to play in the league simultaneously.
Bronny is reportedly already on the Lakers’ roster, as the team decided to sign him and bring him on board through a rookie contract. According to an NBA source via ESPN, the 19-year-old has favourably responded to a four-year, $7.9 million deal with a team option in the fourth year.
Regardless of which LeBron James’ decision falls, he is expected to earn around $50 million in 2024-25. As his on-court earnings reach closer to $530 million, he will become the first player in the league to surpass the $500 million milestone.
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On the other side of the professional coin, James is also one of the 12-man Team USA Olympic roster. Training camp is set to kick off in Las Vegas on Saturday, burdening the American coach, Steve Kerr, with some big decisions for the starting lineup ahead. For now, he’s expected to start the game as a point forward.
“There is a plausible but unlikely scenario where LeBron James doesn’t start for Team USA — indicative of the challenge facing Steve Kerr to pick a lineup and find playing time for 12 stars at the Olympics, “ Joe Vardon wrote for The Athletic.