LeBron James has made a decision when it comes to his NBA career. Rich Paul, James’ agent, told ESPN that James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The deal includes a player option for the 2024-25 season as well as a 15% trade kicker. This will put James with $532 million in career guaranteed money, the most in NBA history.
Before the contract extension, James was entering the final season of his deal. He will not enter free agency next summer, which puts less pressure on the Lakers to keep him in Los Angeles for the time being. James will turn 38 years old on December 30 but continues to play at a high level, averaging 30.3 points 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game last season.
Videos by PopCulture.com
James could only sign a two-year extension since he will be 38 or older when the current deal expires, a rule in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, according to ESPN. He can’t be traded during the 2022-23 season because the second year of his extension exceeds a 5% raise. In April, James spoke to reporters about a new contract and said conversations couldn’t happen at the time due to rules.
“The conversation hasn’t been talked about and technically because the Collective Bargaining Agreement cannot be discussed until later on in the year,” James said per Lakers Nation. “I know it’s out there, but we can’t even, myself and Rich [Paul] can’t even talk with Rob [Pelinka] or the front office at all because of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. When we get to that point, we’ll see.”
James joined the Lakers in 2018 after spending four years with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Lakers to an NBA Championship in 2020 (his fourth overall) but the Lakers have struggled since then, losing in the first round of the playoffs in 2021 and missing the postseason in 2022.
“I came here to win a championship and I want to win more,” James said at his exit interview this past season, per Lakers Nation. “I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish, but I’m still hungry for more. I’m confident that this organization wants the same. It’s what this organization has always been about. I also just wanted to change the narrative how this franchise can compete at a high level again. What they’ve done decade and decade and decades of winning.”
