LeBron James will continue for another year with the Lakers: he exercised his $52.6 million option
At 40 years old and with a surprising validity, the King will sign his 23rd year in the NBA
Despite the speculation and the passage of time, LeBron James will not leave Los Angeles. The forward decided to exercise his player option to continue with the Lakers for one more season, in exchange for $52.6 million.
This was confirmed this Sunday by ESPN, with initial information from Shams Charania, a journalist specializing in the NBA.
The decision was communicated by his agent, Rich Paul, who explained that LeBron still wants to fight for a title: "LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows that the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values ????a realistic possibility of winning it all."
With this step, the all-time leading scorer will play his eighth consecutive season with the Lakers, a team with which he already won the championship in 2020, during the memorable Orlando bubble. In addition, he will surpass the record for most seasons played in the NBA (23), leaving behind Vince Carter, who reached 22.
A new stage, now with Doncic at his side
The extension of LeBron's contract comes in the midst of a stage of renewal for the Los Angeles franchise, which surprised in February by signing Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. The duo between the Slovenian and James opens the door to a fearsome offense, with serious aspirations for the title, as long as they manage to adjust pieces on both sides of the court.
Although the Lakers fell in the first round of the last playoff against the Timberwolves, LeBron showed that he is far from retirement. His averages in the 2024-25 campaign confirm this: 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. Elite performance for a 40-year-old.
Paul also highlighted the veteran's commitment to the franchise: "We want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, support him, and want the best for him."
In total, James has played more than 1,700 games between the regular season and postseason, with four championship rings and 20 All-Star Game appearances. But he's not satisfied: he wants more.