The Lakers have agreed to a new two-year contract with LeBron James that features a player option for 2025/26 and a full no-trade clause. It will likely either be for the maximum salary or just under the max.
Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times argues James’ lucrative new contract is a mistake from a team-building perspective and confirmation that the club’s offseason has been a failure to this point. Plaschke points to L.A.’s fruitless pursuits of Dan Hurley and Klay Thompson — both of whom reportedly accepted less money than the Lakers were offering — as evidence of how negatively the team is currently viewed, particularly when it comes to championship contention.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Will James be a starter for Team USA at the Olympics in Paris? Joe Vardon of The Athletic explores that question, writing that while there’s a case to be made that the 39-year-old would be better suited to come off the bench, two sources close to the situation “cast serious doubt” on the possibility. Those same sources told Vardon that James will likely be the Americans’ starting point forward, allowing Stephen Curry to play more off the ball. Vardon also ponders which other players from the star-studded roster will start and the potential roles for the reserves.
- There have been several reports indicating that James’ playing career could end in a year or two. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Twitter video link via First Take), James will be weighing a couple of factors as he decides how long he wants to play. “The biggest thing, other than health, that we’re gonna see that is going to determine when the end of LeBron’s career is when the owners of the league set forth a timeline about when they’re gonna establish that expansion team in Las Vegas,” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “Now, nothing is assured … but I suspect once the TV rights deals get wrapped up … they’re gonna bring expansion to the table. … (James) wants to join up with partners to become the face of the franchise in Las Vegas.” Windhorst acknowledges that several factors would have to line up perfectly for that scenario to come to fruition.
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report considers five paths the Lakers could take to improve their roster, with some scenarios more plausible than others.
- The Lakers expect second-rounder Bronny James to spend most of his rookie season in the NBA G League, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter (YouTube link). LeBron’s eldest son was the No. 55 pick of last month’s draft.
Lakers are irrelevante right now. If AD was smart enough he would ask for a trade instead of fading in this circus. Each and every western Powerhouse has found a way to improve, except for them
Not a big fan of AD, but I kind of pity his having to deal with all of that tomfoolery.
Lakers are targeting Grant
Blazers get a young star from third team
Lakers get Grant
Third team gets DLo, Vincent and two Firsts
Why didn’t Lakers acquire Murray?
Hawks asking price is scary low
Expiring contract and 2 bad picks
Lakers can do two lottery protected picks and hope it ends up with empty for Hawks
According to ESPN
Even Big Man JV does not want to play for Lakers but Wizards
Plaschke bemoans everything. I seriously have no idea how people read through his pieces. Signing LeBron James is never a mistake, though. If he thinks the Lakers are viewed negatively, let one of the greatest players ever (who wants to be in LA) walk, see how that goes. Dude’s columns are a joke.
Bemoaning sells, unfortunately.
Plaschke is clown shoes but he is not wrong about LAL not being a destination. Even with bron
No leadership here taking the max! What a selfish me first move LBJ. You suck!!!!
A life long Lakers fan!
It shows true leadership that LeBron didn’t bow down and take less than the max. What kind of example does that set? If the owners want better players then they should open up thier pocketbooks and raise the cap. It’s not really there to ensure competitive teams or parity, it’s there to enrich ownership.
That’s the reality and restraints that the cap presents! For once, I would love for a superstar to say hey I have enough money and for us to win, I will take less!
LeBron took less than the max when he signed with Miami and didn’t have anywhere near the money he does now. Most of the fans perceived it he was building a superteam and other team’s GMs and ownership used it as a crutch in negotiations. “You should take less money for the good of the team like LeBron did.”
LBJ wants to be a team owner in Vegas, and that takes A LOT of money. It’s fitting that he’s already thinking & acting like an owner.
Lebron will be out bid for Vegas. Real Billionaires will buy that team. Lebron is rich, but not that rich.
NBA wants more minority owners so he will be at least a part owner in a Vegas team.
If I were LeBron, fans like you would make me even more likely to take the full max.
Team USA is in trouble unless the young guys really step up. Lebron and Durant have to show great leadership and possibly a step back. If not this may be an embarrassment of epic proportions.
Kawhi, Embiid, and Anthony Davis should be staying healthy all summer. Jaylen Brown, Myles Turner, and Chet would be better team pieces.
I hope Lebron and Durant show a new side of themselves. But I have my doubts.
What did the following 3 say?
Dan Hurley
Klay
Bobby Hield
Play with one son and draft the other one…
Nobody else has done that, he knows.
Hating on Bron is for the haters of life.
This is a guy who is truly blessed. He’s the best to ever have done it. Raised by a single Mom. A true American rags to riches story. An athlete who all you can say is truly “The Chosen One”. Only real talent can tell and write these tales. They are legendary.
And all you can find is fault, hate, and negativity. Speaks volumes of you …..
Yet you are so blinded. You can’t even appreciate the level of talent. Of a sport you claim to know and follow.
Yeah see…this is entertainment and that means people pay your salary and get to criticize.
Lebron has decimated the Lakers and has done nothing to help the team get better. I mean he insisted that his son get a contract he never “earned” and got a guy who never coached to take over the team.
Lakers are irrelevant and Bron is irrelevant as well.
I am curious why he is even on the Olympic team, Jaylen Brown and Shae are better choices for this team.
I love that you dismiss Jordan, the guy who won 6 rings and took years off in his prime.
If you think you pay his salary. Then it’s clear who you are.
Criticize is not hate mongering
Why would no talents like us hate on a real talent like that. Cause he makes money.
The Laker will always be relevant. For as long he plays LeBron will be as well.
LeBron is on Team USA because he’s still one best basketball players born in the USA. He’s got more international experience and can run an offense unlike Jaylen Brown.
Shae? Do you mean Shai as in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? He had prior obligations during the Olympics. He’ll be the starting PG for team Canada.
Nobody dismisses Jordan, he was a great player but he played in a different era just like Wilt, Russell and Kareem. That’s why the whole “The GOAT” debate is stupid.
Not years, he took one and a 1/2 year off coming back a hafway through the second season.You’re not old enough to remember that so it’s time to keep your trap shut
LeBron brings it on himself. He should be universally loved like most HOF players. Instead he is always poaching other team players and crying about having no help when he has a lot. Stop flopping to get foul calls. Stop doing the putting a crown on his head. Play the game and have fun and stop arguing for every foul call. Hopefully he enjoys this year with his son playing on the team and take in his last years enjoying the moments.
Jordan is better there is no debate. Do some research
I’m happy for that Bronny James kid. The kid has a heart attack, then works hard and comes back from it. As fate would have it he gets drafted by his hometown team. Even though he’s mostly going to play in the G-League this season his contract will be worth enough to get his mom up out the hood and make life better for his little brother and sister.
Hopefully, if he does make the main roster he can handle the fact that one of his teammates is sleeping with his mom.
“Fate” Oh you mean Rich Paul orchestrating the pick and holding a gun to the Lakers head to draft him while simultaneously threating the league that if he is drafted he will go to Australia.
Fate had nothing to do with it.
Bronny is about to get a wake up call when EVERYONE in the Summer league is going to hunt him.
@CF I think Chuck is joking lol. We all know Bronny would still be in college then overseas at 23, AT BEST! had it not been for nepotism.
LeGM stamping his feet, he’ll retire and Lakers will cut Bronny faster than you can say waste of a roster spot.
I’m just surprised Lebron did take a salary cut at least a little to pay is sons joke of a contract at least!!
I was obviously joking but I have no problem whatsoever with Bronny being taken as the 55th pick in the draft. LeBron undoubtedly had some influence on him being drafted but at that point in the draft anyone you take is going to be a project player.
By drafting him and putting him the G-League the Lakers have some control over how he gets developed as compared to if he’d gone overseas or played another season in college. Just like any other low second round draft pick if it doesn’t work out then they cut him a couple years and move on.
Honestly I don’t hate lakers wasting the pick as a lot of late 2nds never make it. So why not take a swing in order to keep Lebron happy.
But let’s not kid ourselves. Had he not had his dad still playing he would have been undrafted and disappeared.
My problem with it is the contract and all the fanfare. I’ve heard more media outlets talk about Bronny and their first SL game than any of the lottery picks put together.
plaschke is an idiot. in order for klay to go to LAL, the warriors had to play ball and Lacob didn’t want to take back matching salary such as D.lo because well he’s D.lo, so that scuttled that deal. end of story.
The lakers snubbed Thompson by offering the warriors a negative package deal. Rob doesn’t understand nobody wants his cast offs. So either he never wanted Thompson or just a arrogant GM.
The Lakers never snubbed Thompson. It has been widely reported now that Klay wanted to go to Dallas. Golden State was always going to send Klay where he wanted to go. Here we are.
You’re obviously a Warriors fan, and the way you keep pounding that drum, it sounds like you wanted someone to ridiculously overpay for Klay in hopes maybe the Warriors would say “forget what you’ve done for us Klay, we’re sending you here.” You keep posting the SAME comment. It wasn’t going to happen.
IF the Lakers offered DLo and something small, it would have been fair. Thompson is just a shooter now. You don’t get a haul for your castoffs either, which is what GS made Klay. It is what it is.
You just proved my point Lakers never wanted Thompson by low balling the warriors. Lakers could have offered him a contract and offered Piston a 1st rounder to take D’Lo bad contract. That would have been enough. They didn’t. Lakers have a big roster problem of too many players with low value. Austin Reeves is the only player that they can trade for a star.
“James’ playing career could end in a year or two.” Jeez, it could end after a serious injury, at any time, at his age recuperation takes longer.
Nice off season….run it back hahaha.