Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James Exercises his player option of $ 52.6 million for the 2025-26 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul said on Sunday.
James, the leader of the NBA career, wants to compete for a championship next season and potentially beyond and will closely monitor the movements of the Lakers and if the team positions this offseason to align a continuous list of the title, said Paul.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told Espn. “He knows that Lakers are building for the future. He understands this, but he appreciates a realistic chance of winning everything. We are very grateful to the partnership that we have had for eight years with Jeanie (Buss) and Rob (Pelinka) and consider the Lakers as an essential part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty of winning now while preparing for the future. We want to assess what is best for LeBron at this stage of his life and his career. He wants to make every season he has left, and the Lakers understand this, are favorable and want what is best for him.”
James, 40, entered a record season of the 23rd NBA and said that he was uncertain about that he had a campaign or wanted to play several years more.
James, who has a non-exchange clause in his contract, is 50 games to beat Robert Parish’s record for most regular career matches. Next season, he will break an equality with Vince Carter for most seasons played in the history of the NBA.
It remains to be seen if James will reach season 24 or beyond. James went out to dinner in New York last week with his wife, Savannah, Miami Heat tall man Kevin Love And his wife, Kate, and other confidants, and one of the dinner guests has published an extract of the night in Instagram where James can be heard: “(Savannah) wants me to retire in the next year.”
While Paul took place, it remains to be seen how his future of play will remain with the Lakers – despite what James said in the past.
In February 2024, after Warriors Finding the trade against James before the Lakers, through Paul, told Golden State that they were not interested, James expressed his desire to continue playing for purple and gold.
“I am a laker, and I am happy and I was very happy to be a laker in the past six years and I hope it will remain like this,” said James.
A few months later, Los Angeles drafted the eldest son of James, Bonny JamesWith the choice n ° 55 to set up the historic father-son tandem, then signed James to an extension of a contract of $ 104 million over two years in July 2024.
James is a quadruple NBA champion, a quadruple MVP and a MVP from the Quadruple League, and he made 21 star teams and 21 all-NBA teams, including becoming the first 40-year-old player to make an all-NBA team. He joined the Lakers in 2018 and led the franchise as the NBA 2020 and to the Western 2023 conference finals for his mandate in Los Angeles.
He collected an average of 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game last season while his 20 -year record sequence on average at least 25 points per game ended. He was one of the three players on average 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists on December 30 at the end of the season, as well as Nikola Jokic And Luka Donic.
James returned to the basketball activity on the field this week after suffering from an MCL sprain in his left knee in match 5 of the release of the Lakers in the first round at the Minnesota Timberwolves. James collected an average of 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 interceptions and 1.8 blocks in 40.8 minutes per match against the Timberwolves.
After the defeat against Minnesota, he spoke openly about the disappointment of not having the chance to compete for a fifth title.
“Every season that I have not reached the final or I have not won the championship was a disappointment,” said James. “So, it would be the same for me. It would be the same off-season of disappointment and non-fellow, having the opportunity to play longer and give you the opportunity to play for the Larry O’Brien trophy. Nothing changes for me.”
James was asked about the blatant need for the Lakers to add a center, after coach JJ Redick moved away from Big Man Jaxson Hayes And finished the Minnesota series with a range of small balls and refrained from explaining the subject. He referred to Anthony Davis Say ESPN: “I think we need another big”, on January 23, then to be exchanged to Dallas Mavericks February 1 as a reason to keep his thoughts for him.
“No comments,” said James. “I’m never saying that.” Because my guy announced said what he needed, and he had left the following week. So I had no comments. “”
Lakers are pursuing a center via the free agency or trade and awaiting the decision to optionally Dorian Finney-Smith Sunday.
Dave McMenamin d’Espn contributed to this report.
