LeBron James ‘may opt OUT of $51.4millon contract with Los Angeles Lakers during offseason’… but the 39-year-old is expected to keep playing
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James may be taking his talents to a new team next season, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
James is currently contract currently holds a player option for next season and allows him to either opt into the final year of his deal or choose to enter free agency.
‘I don’t know what’s gonna happen with LeBron in 2025,’ Windhurst said during an episode of ‘Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective’ podcast.
‘I feel like LeBron’s going to play next year, but I don’t know if it’s going to be for the Lakers —probably, but he’s got an opt-out.
‘There’s reasons to have discussions about this.’
LeBron James is not certain to stay with the Lakers next season due to an option in his contract
James has long spoken about his dream to team up with his son Bronny James in the NBA
LeBron ‘Bronny’ James Jr is currently a freshman at USC and eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft
James and the Lakers have struggled this once again this season and are currently 20-21
Following the conclusion of the season James will have until June 29 to make a decision on his $51.4 million option.
The 39-year-old year old signed an extension back in 2022 that would allow him to remain in a Lakers jersey through at least the 2024-25 season, although from the moment he signed the contract – and long before the extension came to fruition- league insiders speculated that James instilled the option so he could have the option of leaving the Lakers and joining forces with his eldest son LeBron ‘Bronny’ James Jr.
James has spent years speaking about his dream of playing with his son in the NBA and depending how the Lakers current season and next year’s draft play out could choose to act on that dream.
The Lakers currently have a 20-21 record and sit 10th in the NBA Western Conference.
LA was able to win the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament but have gone 9-12 since the start of December.
So far this season James has been averaging 24.7 points, 7.5 assists, and 7.2 rebounds, but that has not been enough to push the Lakers past their second-straight mediocre first half of an NBA season.
