Reports on Saturday indicate that James intends to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and negotiate a new deal with the team. Had he exercised his player option for the 2024-25 season, he would have earned $51.4 million.
According to ESPN, the Lakers are “committed to keeping James with the franchise” and are ready to offer him a maximum three-year contract worth $162 million. While this is the maximum deal James is eligible for, the two parties may agree on different terms during negotiations. James has just completed his sixth season with the Lakers and continues to play at an exceptional level. He was named to the All-NBA third team for the 2023-24 season, averaging 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in 35.2 minutes per game, shooting a career-best 41% from three-point range and 54% from the field.
On Friday, the Lakers strengthened James’s ties to the team by selecting his son Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Lakers are now heavily focused on James, so it’s no surprise they want to extend their partnership. Recently, the team hired his podcast co-host JJ Redick as their new head coach, just days before drafting Bronny James seems poised to finish his career with the Lakers.
The partnership has been fruitful, with James leading the team to an NBA title in 2020. However, the Lakers have also missed the playoffs twice, been eliminated in the first round twice, and were swept in the conference finals in 2023 during his tenure. These outcomes likely fall short of James’s expectations. It appears James will remain with the Lakers, and it will be interesting to see if the franchise can capitalize on the remaining years of his career.
