LeBron James has the option to leave the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason. James has to decide on his player option by June 29, but he could decline that option to sign a new deal with the Lakers or a different team.
Predicting where the top 20 free agents will sign, Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports predicted that James would sign a new three-year, $160 million deal to return to the Lakers.
“James has a $51.4 million player option with the Lakers that he must decide on by June 29,” Weitzman wrote on June 25. “Expect James, 39, to decline that option and sign a new deal — which will likely be the last of his NBA career.
“It’s worth noting that, because of the over-38 rule, no team, including the Lakers, can sign him to a contract for more than three seasons. He’s no longer the game’s best player, but James is still a force coming off an All-NBA season (25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 41 percent from deep).”
Weitzman wrote that while other teams with cap space could try stealing him from the Lakers, “it’d be shocking” if James doesn’t return to Los Angeles.
“The Philadelphia 76ers will try luring him with their cap space. And look for the Dallas Mavericks to get into the mix,” Weitzman wrote.
“But LeBron loves living in L.A, and in recent years has made clear that he’s done taking pay cuts. It’d be shocking if he didn’t re-sign with the Lakers. The bet here is that he opts out and signs a new three-year deal for $160 million, which will come with a no-trade clause.”
‘L.A. Is Committed to Re-Signing James’: ESPN
The Los Angeles Lakers re-signing James makes sense from their perspective due to his production in the 2023-24 season. He averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. James, 39, played in the most games he has since the 2017-18 season, appearing in 71.
He also shot 54.0% from the field and a career-high 41.0% from 3-point range.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers are ready to offer him the maximum three-year deal that he can sign.
“L.A. is committed to re-signing James and would offer the maximum three-year deal for which James is eligible to take him through his 24th season in the league, sources told ESPN,” McMenamin wrote on June 24.
Why James Would Take Less Money With the Lakers
James could opt into his deal for $51.4 million next season and then sign an extension once he’s eligible in late August. That extension could add two years for a total of three years and $162 million, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.
However, if he took less money and opted out to sign a new deal, it could come with a no-trade clause.
“Why would he take less money with the former option? Because that one can come with a no-trade clause, which would either guarantee he stays a Laker (and presumably retires as one) or controls his next destination,” Hollinger wrote on June 27.
A no-trade clause would put James in complete control, allowing him to leave the Los Angeles Lakers if he wanted to.
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