Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul appeared on TNT’s alternate broadcast of Game 2 between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Paul’s client LeBron James became the topic of conversation at one point and the 42-year-old surprisingly slipped up by stating he is a free agent.
Rich Paul: “Look, LeBron’s a free agent… I gotta focus on his business and he should be focused on his business and let the Lakers hire whoever they want to hire. He’s always showed up and played for whatever coach is there… I think he’s earned the right to have input if he wanted that obviously, but it’s just not the case.”
Chris Haynes: “You said something, Rich. You said LeBron’s a free agent. So I take it LeBron’s gonna decline that player option.”
Rich Paul: “Chris, you know I don’t do my business over the air, man… I don’t know what he’s gonna do. We gonna do what we do every year. We gonna evaluate the situation and we gonna make the best decision.”
Rich Paul: “LeBron is a free agent.”
… but LeBron currently has a pending player option. Interesting slip up from his agent. 👀
(via @ChrisBHaynes) pic.twitter.com/5IrtdnP8C1
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 26, 2024
It had been widely reported that James would be opting out of his $51.4 million player option for 2024-25 with the Los Angeles Lakers and Paul now seems to have confirmed that. I doubt the 20-time All-Star would have been all that happy about his agent blurting that out on air.
LeBron opting out and becoming a free agent doesn’t necessarily mean he is leaving the Lakers, of course. A big reason why opting out is very beneficial for the 39-year-old is that he would then be eligible to negotiate a no-trade clause in his new deal with LA.
If LeBron opts in and signs an extension, he wouldn’t be eligible for the clause. We know how he has always wanted control, so opting out always seemed like the route he would go in. Of course, LeBron becoming a free agent also does open the door to a potential exit. The Lakers, though, are operating like James will return next season and I do believe he will.
Rich Paul Expects LeBron James To Play For 2-3 More Years
When you get to the stage that LeBron is at in his career, there is always talk about just how much longer he will carry on. Well, Paul thinks James has 2-3 years left in the NBA.
“I believe so,” said Paul on if LeBron will continue his NBA career next season. “We definitely have less years with LeBron James than we’ve already been able to enjoy… I don’t know how long we see him but my conversation with him is just have fun. Just enjoy it because you have a lot less years to play than you’ve already played. I think we see him next year but how many years after that I don’t know. I think he has 2-3 years left in the tank, maybe.”
That’s about how long I expect him to play as well. LeBron averaged an impressive 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in the 2023-24 season, so there is gas left in the tank. As long as he doesn’t suffer a serious injury of some sort, he should be able to play at a fairly high level for a couple more years.
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