NBA free agency: LeBron James reportedly extends Lakers stay with $104m deal
LeBron James is making it official: he’s returning for a record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, a season that could see the league’s all-time leading scorer share the court with his son Bronny as teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers.
James has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the Lakers, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Wednesday. The second year of the deal is a player option and means James could become a free agent again next summer, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been made public. The deal is also expected to include a no-trade clause.
ESPN reported that the Lakers and James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, can agree on a salary slightly lower than the maximum James could have been paid ā a move that could keep the team from reaching the second bracket and preserve some roster flexibility going forward.
Regardless, James is expected to earn around $50 million this upcoming season, bringing his total basketball season earnings to around $530 million, making him the first player in NBA history to surpass the $500 million mark.
It will be James’ 22nd season in the NBA, tying Vince Carter for the league record. The Lakers just hired his podcast partner as the franchise’s head coach and spent a second-round draft pick on LeBron’s eldest son, putting them in position to have the first father-son duo on the court in NBA history.
The deal clears one logistical hurdle: LeBron James needed a new deal before he could take the court with USA Basketball for the start of training camp in Las Vegas this weekend, a camp that will help the team prepare for the Olympic Games in Paris. James will be making his fourth Olympic appearance, his first since helping the U.S. win gold at the London Games in 2012.
He turns 40 in December and averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists last season, making him the oldest active player in the league.
In addition to being the all-time leading player in points (40,474), James also ranks fourth in assists (11,009), sixth in games played (1,492) and eighth in 3-pointers made (2,410) and steals (2,275).
His 20 All-Star selections are a record, as are his 20 All-NBA team appearances. He also holds the records for both the youngest player and the oldest player to make an All-NBA team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan were both just days shy of their 39th birthdays when the regular seasons ended in what would become their final All-NBA campaigns. For Abdul-Jabbar, that was in 1985-86, for Duncan, in 2014-15. James played in 71 games last season, the last 42 after he turned 39.