The Lakers still need LeBron James if they plan to contend next season. The path to a Luka Doncic-centric future can be seen, but this current roster isn’t a threat to be playing in late May and June next season without LeBron, who is coming off an All-NBA season in which he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game. All that in his 22nd NBA season at age 40.
While he and his agent say no decision has been made about next season, the league-wide expectation is that LeBron will be back with the Lakers. Shams Charania of ESPN went a step further on the “The Pat McAfee Show” saying he expects LeBron to opt into his $52.6 million contract for next season.
“I’m told he’s likely to opt in. He’s got a player option of about $54 million, a massive player option. That’s likely. That’s the plan. But again, his option date is June 29. So he still has about a month to figure it out. He still has to have some hard conversations that are gonna happen between him and the Lakers to see what this team looks like. Because listen, LeBron James, whether he plays one more season or a few more seasons, he wants to be in a competitive environment. And I said it when I came on when their season ended, he’s probably gonna opt in because the option is so big and then that gives you flexibility to figure out, do you extend off that number, or this is the final year if this is the last hurrah essentially. Year 23 for No. 23, they have All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. So to me, it’s very storybook if that’s the way it goes. But, that’s a decision that he’s gotta make.”
The most likely scenario is that LeBron opts in and receives a one- or two-year extension off that deal, all of which are player options. The Lakers will give him whatever he wants.
When it comes to stepping away from the game, LeBron is not going to pull a Tim Duncan and retire in a July press release. LeBron is going to make sure his fans know and get a chance to see him one last time. It will be a celebration during his final season. As Charania noted, there is a symmetry to him retiring after next season — 23 seasons, the All-Star Game in Los Angeles — but he’s still playing at a top-10 level in the league, so there is no pressure on him to step away.
Whatever LeBron decides, we will find out by the end of June, and then Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office can go about finding a defensive-minded, vertical-spacing center and some wing depth to give this team a chance.
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