20-time All-NBA combo forward LeBron James, who had reached unrestricted free agency for the first time since the start of his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, has agreed to a two-year contract with the Lakers said to be worth $104 million, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The deal include a no-trade clause, James' first as a Laker, as well as a player option for 2025-26, which would be the 6-foot-9 vet's record-breaking 23rd season in the league (2024-25, his 22nd year, will already tie Hall of Famer Vince Carter's record for NBA longevity).
The reported new contract's length is a bit of a surprise, as James could have chosen to sign a three-year contract worth up to $162 million. This gives him a bit more flexibility going forward.
Wojnarowski notes that only James and Phoenix Suns ex-All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal currently possess no-trade clauses in their contracts.
Klutch Sports CEO and longtime LeBron James agent Rich Paul is open to working out a $1 million discount that will keep Los Angeles below the league's prohibitive $188.9 million second luxury tax apron this season, which would restrict the team from maximal roster-building flexibility.
James will now join his eldest son, No. 55 draft pick Bronny James out of USC, on the team's roster, making them the first-ever father-son duo to play together, simultaneously, on an NBA club. Previously for the Lakers, two other father-son duos have suited up separately, however, in Wes and Wesley Matthews and Gary Payton and Gary Payton II.
The 39-year-old James submitted another superlative season in 2023-24, as the scoring and passing focal point for a 47-35 playoff team. Across 71 healthy regular season games, the NBA's oldest active player posted averages of 25.7 points on a .540/.410/.750 slash line (that three-point rate, on 5.1 triple tries a night, represents a career best), 8.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks. He was named to his 20th All-NBA and All-Star teams and came in 10th in Clutch Player of the Year voting.
James first joined the Lakers as a free agent in 2018. After All-NBA big man Anthony Davis forced his way to Tinseltown via trade the next summer, Los Angeles instantly won its 17th championship. Since then, the team has struggled a bit to find much postseason success, outside of a run to the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
James had been open to taking a more major discount to accommodate signing a veteran, from a pre-approved list of options to a non-taxpayer mid-level exception contract worth $12.8 million a year. Players like James Harden, Jonas Valanciunas, and Klay Thompson were apparently all options.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports that still-unsigned Chicago Bulls All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan was on the table, too. Now, to carve out enough space under the cap for a non-taxpayer MLE signing, the Lakers will need to trade out $25 million worth in other contracts, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Newsweek contributing writer Alex Kirschenbaum is a hoops fanatic who has managed to parlay his passion into a writing career. ... Read more
