LeBron James has made a final decision on his future in the NBA, agreeing to a two-year maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Purple and Gold were hopeful of keeping the generational talent on the roster, but rumors also had it that LeBron was studying his options.
Nevertheless, nothing strange happened, and the King is set to continue his honored career in Los Angeles, as the Lakers try to be competitive again following two terrible seasons for the 17-time NBA champions.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the King is signing a two-year, $97.1 million extension with the Lakers, which will keep him on the team through 2024/25 season. This new deal has a player option in the second year, which could allow James to leave SoCal and join a different team if his son Bronny gets drafted.
Moreover, with this new contract, James has surpassed Kevin Durant as the highest-earner player in NBA history. James has now amassed $532 million, which shows how great he’s been during his career and the consistency he’s shown to make nearly $100 million at age 37.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension that includes a player option for the 2024-25 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN on Wednesday.
The extension, which includes a 15% trade kicker, makes James the highest-earning player in NBA history with $532 million in guaranteed money, surpassing Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant.
James is ineligible for a no-trade clause because he agreed on an extension — not a new deal. But the new deal’s starting salary of $46.7 million, the 15% trade kicker, and James’ stature as one of history’s great players likely make him a Laker for as long as he chooses.
Amid all the Russell Westbrook drama, it’s good for Lakers Nation to see that LeBron isn’t going anywhere at least for the next two years. If he decides to leave the organization before the last year of this new contract, not many people will be mad at him. The Lakers still have work to do ahead of the 2022/23 NBA season, but they took a lot off of their shoulders with this extension.
