Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James
LeBron agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with Los Angeles, including a player option for the 2024-2025 season.
In doing so, James, a four-time NBA champion, MVP and 18-time All-Star, puts to rest concerns that he could enter free agency next summer.
1- What is LeBron James looking for with his contract extension with the Lakers?
Fulfill the goal of playing with his son Bronny.
I don’t think the NBA’s biggest star is in a money rush and I hardly see him winning another ring with the Los Angeles Lakers. In the coming years I think Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics, maybe Miami Heat or Memphis Grizzlies will be the great candidates, but LeBron has a pending task and has reiterated it on more than one occasion: Play with his firstborn before saying goodbye to professional basketball and devote himself to other sports or business fields.
At 37 years old, James will reach the 2024-2025 season with 40 ‘laps in the sun’, the date on which Bronny will be eligible to play in the NBA. If so, the ‘King’ would not only meet that goal, but he would be the first player in the Association to share the court with his son, a mark that probably no one will match in a long time.
If accomplished, James and Bronny would join the only father-son duos in American sports history to have achieved such a feat: Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. (MLB), Tim Raines and Tim Raines Jr. (MLB) and Gordie Howe and his sons Mark and Marty (NHL).
The goal doesn’t seem far-fetched, barring any “minor” injuries, LeBron is still in great shape, with great pace and that rookie motivation. He will surely continue to break and break records, but the most important thing for him now is to pass the baton to Bronny on the court.
2- What are the Lakers looking for with LeBron James’ contract extension?
After a season to forget with only 33 wins in 82 games, the Lakers were looking to become relevant again, recover their memory and become contenders again. And to do so, they needed to secure, among other things, the continuity of LeBron James, something they have just achieved.
With this step, the franchise is trying to send a message to the rest of the league, dispelling suspicions of unease between the board and its two top stars (LeBron and Davis), as well as putting an end to rumors of a possible divorce between the parties in the short term.
Likewise, the Lakers managed to reiterate their vote of confidence in two players who were the cornerstone that gave them the 17th title in their history. But make no mistake: to get the 18th title, they will have to solve other problems, including seeing if they can find a favorable trade that will allow them to get rid of Russell Westbrook (failed experiment) and bring in the missing pieces (Kyrie Irving?) to try to get back to the top.
3- Do the Lakers aspire to win another title with LeBron James and Anthony Davis?
Yes… They already won one together during the bubble. The problem in the equation, at the moment, is Russell Westbrook.
But there’s another detail we can’t omit. LeBron, about to turn 38 this year, has missed 84 games in the last four seasons (since coming to the Lakers in 2018-19).
Prior to that, he missed 71 games over the first 15 seasons of his career combined. Then, Stats & Info adds, since James joined the Lakers in 2018-19, he has played in 73% of his games.
The age factor obviously assures us that the superstar will have physical issues at some point. He’s not a kid. However, he’s LeBron and that means durability.
His 27 points per game for Los Angeles ranks him, along with Jerry West and Shaquille O’Neal, second all-time in franchise history. Only Elgin Baylor has averaged more (27.4).
With this extension, LeBron will play at age 40 at Staples Center. He would be the first player in NBA history to play one game as a teenager and another at 40. ‘The King’ is in another dimension and the Lakers, who have already mortgaged their future, have no choice but to go ‘all in’ for James. He already came out once, why not again? We’ll see.
