LeBron James intends to sign a two-year, $104-million maximum deal and will be back with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Wednesday.
A player option next summer and a no-trade clause will be part of James' new deal, sources told The Athletic.
James did not exercise his option to accept what would have been a $51.4-million contract for this coming season and instead is seeking a new deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday.
It was expected that James would technically be a free agent. But it's also been expected that he would stay with the Lakers.
His newest destination was the subject of speculation after the Lakers’ first-round elimination at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. He declined to answer questions about his future with the Lakers in the team’s exit interviews immediately following the loss to Denver.
However, last Thursday at the NBA Draft, the Lakers selected Bronny James in the second round, putting them in position to have the first on-court father-son duo in NBA history.
“He is prioritizing a roster improvement,” James' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN on Saturday. “He’s been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster.”
LeBron James is a four-time champion and is about $20 million shy of becoming the first player in league history to top $500 million in on-court earnings. Add in his many off-court ventures and investments, and his net worth has been presumed to be more than $1 billion for some time now.
He’ll turn 40 in December and will tie former Toronto Raptor Vince Carter this season in terms of most seasons played in NBA history; the 2024-25 campaign will be James’ 22nd in the league. He averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists last season — as the oldest active player in the league.
The 20-time all-star joined the Lakers in the 2018-19 season and won a title with them in the NBA’s bubble in the 2019-20 season. Last week, they hired his friend and podcast co-host JJ Redick to take over as head coach following Darvin Ham’s firing earlier this off-season.
--with files from The Associated Press
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