Getty LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
As we entered the current off-season, the Los Angeles Lakers had an oversize ‘to-do’ list, and somewhere near the top was figuring out how to convince LeBron James to agree to a contract extension.
Even at the age of 37, LeBron continues to be one of the best players in the NBA and is coming off the back of an incredibly impressive season where he averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 62% from two and 35.9% from deep. Of course, finding somebody to replicate that type of on-court production, along with the type of championship pedigree LeBron brings to the table is almost impossible, which is why the Lakers are expected to do everything in their power to convince their star player to re-sign with the franchise.
However, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, both Los Angeles and LeBron should wait until after the upcoming season to discuss terms on a potential new deal – and they should also follow a similar blueprint to that of James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers.
.@TimBontemps explains why it may be a while before LeBron James signs an extension with the Lakers ✍️
“If you look at the situation the Lakers are in, they don’t have enough salary cap space to go out and fill in the roster around him and Anthony Davis. And the one way they have to do that is for LeBron to wait till next summer, opt out of his contract, and like James Harden, this summer with Philly, take a little bit less money, and allow them to fill in around him and Anthony Davis on this roster.
If he signs a max extension this summer, the Lakers are stuck in the exact same situation they are now and they’re going to be in that situation going forward because they have no other contracts on the roster to trade, they have no other way to create salary to get other players on the roster. To me, if I’m LeBron and the Lakers and I’m working together for the best path forward, that to me is the only best path forward – it’s to wait until next summer, opt-out, and give the Lakers the flexibility to add around him, and then fill in a number later on, exactly as the Sixers did,” Bontemps said during an August 11 episode of NBA Today.
At this late stage in his career, it isn’t implausible to believe that LeBron would take a discount on his next deal if it meant he would have a greater shot at winning another championship, although a lot would have to depend on who the front office proposed as potential off-season additions.
Waiting Until Next Summer is a Risk
It’s true, LeBron James has never changed teams while under contract. However, should the Lakers wait until next summer to begin negotiations, they are running the risk of losing LeBron for nothing – especially if the upcoming season fails to improve on the disappointment of 2021-22.
Nevertheless, should LeBron agree to wait until he becomes a free agent, the Lakers could ensure they have the required cap flexibility to overhaul their roster – should it be deemed necessary. Yet, it’s worth remembering that multiple other teams around the league will be reaching out to LeBron with offers.
In fact, when an Eastern Conference executive recently spoke to Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney, they noted how LeBron’s future is far more uncertain than what many currently believe it to be.
Report: Lebron James contract extension with the lakers will rely on the roster moves made this off-season
It’s to be said that if no impactful roster changes are made then Lebron will look to look leave In Free Agency when his contract is Up 😳
“It is possible (that LeBron leaves the Lakers). Of course, it is. Who thought Kevin Durant was a flight risk two months ago? Things change and players are taking more and more power and no one has more power than LeBron—if he wants out, he will get out. They had the injuries last year and the year before, and pretty much every year that he has been there except the championship year.
That’s not the organization’s fault. And the personnel, he had a lot of say on that, you can’t put that all on the organization. But it has not been a completely happy marriage and he could be a free agent next summer, a lot of teams will have cap room. It’s not his first choice, leaving. But it is not off the table, it would seem,” The executive told Heavy.com’s, Sean Deveney.
Should LeBron and the Lakers agree to hold off in their negotiations, it’s fair to assume that both parties would enter next summer with the intention of extending their relationship, but there is never a guarantee when it comes to contract discussions.
Keeping LeBron Happy Now
Operating under the assumption that both the Lakers and LeBron heed Bontemps’ advice, it would make sense that Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles front office to begin making moves to appease their superstar in the short term.
Of course, the quickest way to do that is to provide Darvin Ham with a roster capable of winning an NBA championship in the coming season, however, a quicker route to appeasing LeBron could be by trading away Russell Westbrook. During a July 11 episode of ESPN’S Get Up, NBA analyst Brian Windhorst noted that moving on from the star guard should be considered as the first step in keeping LeBron happy in his current situation.
“A year ago, everything LeBron and Westbrook did, they were like arm-in-arm throughout the entire lead up to the season. So there’s no doubt about the erosion in their relationship here. We know that Westbrook, at the end of the season, spoke about LeBron and Anthony Davis paying lip service in letting him play his game. We also know that of course, LeBron wants the roster upgraded to include Kyrie Irving, and that means trading Westbrook,” Windhorst said.
There is still plenty of time for the Lakers to find a buyer for Westbrook, and for the front office to continue rebuilding the team’s bench rotation – and of course, a contract extension could be agreed upon before the start of the season. As with everything in Lakerland, the current situation is incredibly fluid, and nothing can be predicted with confidence.