LeBron James reportedly picked up his $52.6 million player option that keeps him in the league for another year. His agent, Rich Paul, hinted that James may not retire as a Lakers player after saying that James wants to win now, and he knows that the Lakers are rebuilding around Luka Doncic.
Now the question remains, during a rebuild, why would James pick up this player option if he knows that he wants to win and the Lakers may not be in the best position to do that since they are rebuilding around Doncic. According to Lakers’ Insider Trevor Lane, James has a list of six reasons why he picked up the player option.
“Why did LeBron pick up his option if he isn’t sure about the direction of the club?
1. There are no legit title contenders with enough spending power to pay him.
2. A sign and trade would trigger a hard cap at the first apron, which most contenders cannot do.
3. Opting in maintains his no-trade clause, which gives him complete control over the trade destination and structure.
4. With a decision due, opting in buys time to see if the Lakers improve their roster
5. It also allows him to maintain future flexibility with free agency in 2026. Signing a new 1+1 deal would accomplish the same, but would also make him ineligible to be traded until December 15th.
6. $52 million is a lot of money.”
Since LeBron James picked up his player option, it severely tightens the Lakers’ ability to make more moves in free agency. With Doncic and Austin Reaves both being eligible for a contract extension this summer, and the Lakers having four expiring contracts on their payroll (Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Dorian Finney-Smith), their front office is expected to engage in multiple contract extension negotiations with players.
What Does This Mean For LeBron James’ Future?
Now, a common NBA fan would wonder if this puts an end to the trade rumors around James. The answer is no, James can still request a trade from the Lakers this summer. He picked up the player option to ensure he does not need to take a pay cut in what could be his final season with the Lakers. Had he rejected the player option to become an unrestricted free agent, his camp believes other title contenders may not be in the best position to offer him the same amount of money as the player option.
Therefore, it ensures that even if he requests a trade now, the team he ends up with gives the Lakers the maximum return possible for him at this point. It is safe to say, if James requests a trade now, this player option has ensured both parties benefit from it.
Do you think James will request a trade from the Lakers this summer? Or do they have enough to win now with Doncic and James? Let us know in the comments section.
