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Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka released a statement about LeBron James on August 18th. James officially signed his two-year, $97.1 million extension and Pelinka had a lot to say about the move.
“LeBron is a generational basketball player who has proven to be even more impactful as a human being,” Pelinka said, via Lakers.com. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with him, ensuring he’s a driving force of Lakers culture for years to come. The Lakers platform has proved again and again to be an ideal place for the game’s all-time greats to thrive and achieve. We are thankful LeBron has experienced the power of that. With his transcendent talent, unrivaled passion and dedication to causing powerful change in our society, LeBron continues to cement his legacy in Los Angeles and around the globe.”
James’ extension includes a player option for the 2024-25 season. The extension, which has a 15% trade kicker, makes the King the highest-earning player in NBA history with $532 million in guaranteed money, surpassing Brooklyn Nets All-Star small forward Kevin Durant.
James was ineligible for a no-trade clause because he agreed to an extension. The four-time MVP and four-time champion was also limited to signing a two-year extension since he will be 38 or older when his current contract expires, a rule in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
James Didn’t Find 2023 Cap Space Teams Appealing to Decline Extension
According to an August 18th report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, James didn’t find any 2023 cap space teams appealing enough to decline an extension with the Lakers, who missed the playoffs last season.
“For LeBron James, he looked at the free agency landscape next summer — who might have cap space — and there was nothing that interested him enough, I’m told, to keep that option open and go into the season on an expiring contract,” Wojnarowski said on Get Up.
James, who turns 38 in December, averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 52.4% from the floor, 35.9% from beyond the arc and 75.6% from the free-throw line last season in 56 starts. However, the Lakers went 33-49 and didn’t even qualify for the play-in tournament despite having James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard.
James has been incredibly open about wanting to play in the NBA with Bronny James, his oldest son. Bronny will be eligible for the NBA Draft in 2024, the year LeBron can become an unrestricted free agent. No father has played with or against his son in the league.
LeBron: ‘My Last Year Will Be Played with My Son’
LeBron, the only player in NBA history to record 10,000+ points, 10,000+ rebounds and 10,000+ assists in his career, told The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd on February 19th that he would do anything to play with Bronny in the NBA.
“My last year will be played with my son,” LeBron said. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
The Lakers currently don’t have a first-round pick in 2024. It belongs to the New Orleans Pelicans, who acquired it in the summer of 2019 in the Davis trade. Bronny will be a senior in high school this year at Sierra Canyon School. Once he finishes high school, Bronny can play college basketball, go overseas or enlist with the G League Ignite.
LeBron led the Lakers to their 17th championship in 2020. He averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the 2020 Finals against the Miami Heat, taking home his fourth Finals MVP.
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