Lebron James and the Lakers: reduce his future to Los Angeles, the possibility of championship, commercial possibility and next contract
Lebron James will be with the Los Angeles Lakers for at least another season after collecting his option of $ 52.6 million for 2025-26 on Sunday.
Yet he observes James’s agent, Rich Paul, he raised his eyebrows on the future of four times MVP with the team beyond the next season.
“Lebron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul said to Espn Sunday. “He knows that the Lakers are building for the future. He understands it, but appreciates a realistic possibility of winning everything. We are highly appreciated for the partnership that we have had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] And consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while we prepare for the future. We want to evaluate what is best for Lebron at this stage of his life and career. He wants to do every season that has left the count and Lakers understand him, are supported and want what is best for him.”
Announcement
The implication seems to be that James does not believe that the Lakers can win a NBA title next season while they also build for the future. Under the first year coach JJ Radick, the team finished third place in the Western Conference last season at 50-32, even if 18 games behind the possible NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. But the Lakers who lose their series of playoffs in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games have shown to what extent they are to win a NBA title.
If winning another championship is the priority, this could mean that James would prefer a trade. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports has outlined possibilities including Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks. If his possibilities would be better elsewhere than with the Lakers it is what James and Paul will have to decide.
Contractual situation of Lebron
James is under contract with the Lakers for another season after collecting his option of $ 52.6 million for 2025-26. The option was part of a two-year agreement of $ 104 million which signed with the Lakers in 2024 which included a no-trade clause.
Announcement
Next season will be James’s eighth in Los Angeles, the longest single race he has had with a team. It will also be his 23rd consecutive season as an active player, an NBA record. James has 50 games away from the record for most of the matches of the regular season in the history of the League, currently held by Robert Parish at 1,611.
At 40, James may decide to retire after next season. Yet he is still playing at a high level, with an average of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists last season. Those numbers are close to the same mediums that he published throughout his 22 -year career. He also played in 70 games, with an average of 34.9 minutes per race.
The future of the Lakers is Luka Dončić
Although James has not revealed for what he still intends to play, the Lakers cannot plan a long -term future with him in mind. This was faced with the successful trade of last season for Luka Dončić.
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Dončić, 26, is under contract for the next season with an option of $ 49 million for 2026-27. Yet the Lakers will surely work to replace this option by signing Dončić at a long -term agreement. He has the right to a four -year extension and $ 229 million after August 2, according to Espn’s Bobby Marks.
The question therefore becomes if the Lakers can sign Dončić and James at the highest salary contracts and still have financial flexibility to be built around them under the salary limit. For example, can they keep a player like Austin Reaves, who has refused a four -year extension and $ 98.2 million?
All-in for 2025-26?
If James has remained only one season with the Lakers, the team could conceively take one last race in an NBA championship with him. However, it is probably not realistic for the new property of the team with the salary limit and further restrictions such as the second apron, which taxes the teams seriously for dollars spent on the limits of the paychecks effectively, also limiting the operations that can be made.
Announcement
However, the Lakers could still try to build a better team around their two stars, in particular updating in the center, which was a responsibility for them after exchanging Anthony Davis with the Dallas Maverks for Dončić.
An option is Deandre Ayton, now available after being purchased by the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday. Brook Lopez and Clint Capela are other possibilities of free agents, while Walker Kessler of Utah Jazz and Isaiah Stewart of the Pistons of Detroit are potential commercial goals.