According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, from North American ESPN, this Wednesday (14), LeBron James, star of the Los Angeles Lakers, remains “focused” on continuing with the franchise this offseason.
The 39-year-old winger has a player option worth US$51.4 million for the 2024/2025 season with the franchise and, to return to Los Angeles, the natural path, if that is the desire, would be not to exercise it and do a new agreement, in order to increase his annual salary, in what should be the star’s last contract in the NBA.
One way or another, several teams will have to reach LeBron and the Lakers in order to try to sign the winger, since even though he is close to 40 years old, he still produces at an All-Star and All-NBA level. In the same report, Shelburne and Woj say that Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers contacted the Lakers at the last trade deadline in order to ascertain the veteran’s availability for a trade, which was reportedly denied by both the owner, Jeanie Buss, the GM, Rob Pelinka, and the player’s agent, Rich Paul.
It is worth remembering that LeBron’s eldest son, Bronny James, is expected to declare for the 2024 Draft and the star has already shown some interest in playing alongside his son. This factor could eventually be a differentiator in LeBron’s decision-making for the future.
Playing in 49 of the Lakers’ 55 games this season, LeBron averages 24.8 points, 7.8 assists, 7.4 rebounds and 39.5% shooting from three, his second best mark of his career.
Still, the Lakers are in ninth place in the West, with 29 wins and 26 losses, but are on a good streak of five wins in the last six games, including a victory over the Boston Celtics, in Boston.
(Photo: Reproduction Twitter / Los Angeles Lakers)