ESPN NBA analyst Shams Charania reports that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is “likely” to use his $52.6 million player option this offseason.
Charania went on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Tuesday and stated that James, who signed a two-year, $101.4 million contract last summer, is expected to opt in to the final year of his contract, but Charania also noted that James has roughly a month to make a final decision on the player option. If James opts out, he could likely sign another short-term contract worth an estimated $54.1 million next season.
James, the NBA’s oldest player, has been with the Lakers since 2018 and, alongside Anthony Davis, led the team to an NBA title in 2020. Davis was moved to the Dallas Mavericks this season in exchange for Luka Doncic, who will be eligible for a long-term contract extension later this summer.
When asked if he would try to encourage Doncic to sign a long-term contract with the Lakers, James declined.
“That ain’t my job,” James told ESPN soon after the season finished.
James stated that he would like Doncic to stay long-term, but he also noted that the Doncic trade was not necessarily for James’ benefit, and that Doncic should make the best decision for himself and his career.
The Lakers clearly hope that Doncic, 26, will be the team’s superstar for the next decade or two, long after James is expected to retire.
Still, the upcoming season will be exciting for James, Doncic, and the Lakers. The 2025-26 season will be James’ 23rd in the NBA, setting a new league record for the most seasons played. Additionally, as Charania stated on ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ it would correspond to his jersey number.
There is conjecture that James would not retire after season 23, as his youngest son, Bryce James, is eligible for the NBA Draft in 2026. LeBron became the first NBA player this season to share the court with his child when he and his eldest son Bronny James, who was drafted late in the second round last year, played in the Lakers’ season opener.
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