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    Thursday, December 3, 2020

    LeBron James Extends Contract With LA Lakers

    As the basketball world waited on the Lakers to sign one of their stars to a new max deal, they extended the other.

    LeBron James has agreed to a two-year max extension with the Lakers that will run two seasons beyond his current deal, putting him under contract through 2023, first reported by The Athletic. The deal is worth $85 million for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

    The move is a precursor to the Lakers’ expected long-term deal with Anthony Davis, the other starring piece of last season’s championship and who shares an agent, Rich Paul, with James. In one day, the Lakers stand to keep their stars and their title contention window open, keeping two players – who combined averaged more than 51 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists per game last season – in the fold for years to come.

    James’ original deal, which would have had a player option triggered next offseason, will pay out $39.2 million this season. ESPN reported that the new extension will pay out $41.2 million next year and $44.5 million in the final season, when James will turn 38.

    While speculation has long centered on when age will lead to his decline, James was still at the top of the game last season. He led the league in assists (10.2 apg) for the first time in his career while finishing as a runner-up in MVP voting. In the Lakers’ run to the title at the NBA bubble, James averaged nearly 30 points, 12 rebounds and 8.5 assists against the Miami Heat on his way to earning his fourth Finals MVP award.

    The contract will stretch the James era of the Lakers to five seasons, longer than his stint with the Miami Heat or his second run with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a dramatic offseason overhaul, the Lakers are widely considered favorites to repeat for another NBA title. James is already the only player to have won Finals MVP with three different teams and has four championships on his résumé.

    While James’ deal, combined with Davis’ anticipated max deal, should lock the Lakers into their current stars, the long-term nature is uncommon commitment from James. Along with Paul, he has often maximized leverage in his contracts with shorter-term deals and options. Still, the contracts are likely to push the Lakers into the luxury tax for the next few years of title-chasing.

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