LeBron James has until June 29 to decide whether he wants to opt into the final year of his contract with the Lakers, which means he signs an extension with the team (a total of $164 million over three years), or whether he withdraws, in which case he will receive a contract extension. free agent and can re-sign with the Lakers or another team.
LeBron has played it close to the vest in his decision-making, but his agent Rich Paul was on TNT’s alternate broadcast of the Western Conference Finals and said a little more.
“LeBron is a free agent. I have to focus on his business … and let the Lakers hire whoever they want to hire. He always showed up and played for whatever coach was there.”
When Chris Haynes called Paul out and asked if that meant LeBron would decline his option, Paul wasn’t going to go that route. “Chris, you know I don’t do my business over the air, man…
‘I don’t know what he’s going to do. We’re going to do what we do every year. We’re going to evaluate the situation and we’re going to make the best decision.”
LeBron’s history consists of using his free agency leverage to get a team to make short-term roster upgrades that make them more competitive (often while saying he has no involvement in these decisions). That feels like what’s going on right now. In the minds of LeBron and his agent Paul, they may want to look at this offseason as if they were free agents, but the sense from sources at teams around the league is that while LeBron may flirt with other teams, he will ultimately re-sign or expand with the Lakers .
If LeBron agrees and signs a maximum two-year extension with the Lakers, it would be worth $164 million over the three years. (No team can offer LeBron more than three years due to the age-38 rule.) If LeBron opts out and re-signs with the Lakers, his max deal over three years will be worth $162 million. Another team – Philadelphia, is said to be interested if LeBron becomes a free agent – and could offer up to $157 million over three years.
For now the The focus is on the Lakers and their coaching searchin which JJ Redick – not so coincidentally, LeBron’s podcast partner – is one of the frontrunners for the job.
