Earlier Wednesday afternoon, four-time world champion and four-time Finals MVP LeBron James notified L.A. faithful of his intent to pursue multiple championships in what appears to be the final stop of his illustrious career and signed a blockbuster two-year, $85M extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. This deal was reported by Rich Paul, LBJ’s agent and the CEO of Klutch Sports.
While there’s no doubt a transaction as such staples (pun intended) The King to the City of Angels’ premier basketball franchise, (as if he needed any more persuasion to stay in L.A.) this will presumptively make Anthony Davis’ decision on the number for the supermax deal a little simpler to make. This extension will take James through the 2022-23 season, thus guaranteeing him 20 seasons spent in the league.
That will be $39.2 Million in the bank for James in 2020, $41,180,544 in 2021-22, and $44,474,988 in the final year of his extension. All in all, that will be an accumulated $435 Million in a lengthy career for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Additionally, this further promulgates the burgeoning possibility that his eldest son — 16-year old prodigy Bronny James, who is going into his Junior year at Sierra Canyon High School with his graduation coming up in 2023 — could be playing against (or alongside (because you can never really predict how the NBA carousel turns!) his son at the most competitive level there is since Bronny’s eligibility for the association could open that year.
So, cool. Seems like a win-win for Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss’s most coveted organization, right? Not quite, if you were to look for additional superstar ammo to surround both AD and the aging best player on the planet.
With the Lakers getting this formality of an extension done, it can’t kill two birds with one stone. They’re virtually out of the running to get Giannis Antetokounmpo in Free Agency next offseason, or any massively-talented Supermax-warranting player in 2021. The plan to clear cap space for a max deal is out the window with this extension.
Per Samuel H. Quinn of CBS Sports:
Unlike Bam Adebayo who received an early extension onto his rookie deal, James is not getting a substantial raise. If we’re being absolutely technical, the Lakers have no less control over their cap situation today than they did yesterday. The original contract James signed in 2018 gave him a $41,180,544 player option for the 2021-22 season, his maximum possible salary. His salary for the 2021-22 season is still $41,180,544. The difference? That salary is now set in stone. When James had that option, he theoretically could have opted out in order to help the Lakers clear space for Giannis. Had he done so, they might have been able to make him an offer within range of his max.
So basically, the Lakers and their fans better enjoy the tandem of AD and LBJ as their core to build around. because even if they wanted to try and make space for a max deal kind of player (y’know, if we were to assume the salary cap rises which is likely) by trading away an asset like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, having Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol decline their options or renouncing the rights to Kyle Kuzma or Alex Caruso, the money still wouldn’t be feasible enough for the Greek Freak or any other player of that magnitude next offseason.
So while other teams like Miami or Milwaukee have other avenues to acquire him, consider the Lakers out of the sweepstakes.
Photo Credit: Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) reacts to a play against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA basketball first-round playoff game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Ashley Landis/AP)
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