The Los Angeles Lakers announced they have officially signed LeBron James to a new contract, putting the superstar under contract for a 22nd NBA season.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but it is reported to be for two years and worth up to his max.
James potentially took slightly less than he was eligible for to help keep the Lakers underneath the CBA’s second apron. Under the new rules, any teams operating over the second apron are heavily restricted with what kind of roster moves they can make.
“No one plays the game like LeBron James, and his commitment to continuous performance and long-term sustained excellence is unmatched,” said Los Angeles Lakers Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. “LeBron is one of the most dynamic and competitive players to ever take the NBA court and we’re grateful to have his leadership as he returns for a seventh season with the Lakers. Alongside fellow team captain Anthony Davis, LeBron and new Lakers head coach JJ Redick will together lead a championship-caliber team that will play with great pride every time they take the floor. Entering his 22nd season of NBA basketball, LeBron continues to remind us that no obstacle is too big and no goal is out of reach. We’re so thankful that the history-making story of LeBron James will continue to be written in front of Lakers fans throughout the world.”
Despite rumblings that James had grown weary of not competing for titles in Los Angeles, he ultimately decided to re-up with the team and will look presumably make at least one more run at a championship before he retires. James opted out of his player option for the 2024-25 season but now has more flexibility.
There were reports that that the superstar was willing to take a significant pay cut to open the non-taxpayer mid-level exception that is worth around $12.9 million, but once free agents started coming off the board he wound taking close to his max. This could be viewed as an indictment on the front office for not being able to secure a commitment from an impact free agent, but could also mean that the team is looking to improve via trade instead.
Although James will be 41 by the end of his new deal, he still remains one of the best players in the league and is worth building around. Next to Anthony Davis, James could very well add one more ring to his collection though the roster as is isn’t good enough to compete with the rest of the Western Conference.
Despite the lack of inactivity so far, Los Angeles could decide to take its time evaluating the current team and see if an upgrade makes more sense at the trade deadline. For now, though, the franchise should feel fortunate that they’ll get at least one more year from James.
Lakers star LeBron James likely to start for Team USA in Olympics
Now that LeBron James has put pen to paper on his new deal with the Lakers, his focus shifts to Team USA with training camp getting underway for the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
Team USA has a star-studded roster with James, Anthony Davis and a number of other future Hall of Famers all committing to play.
Despite the talent on the team though, the expectation is still that James will be in the starting lineup.
More must-reads: