“If y’all not making moves I’m gonna leave… It’s all about championships” - NBA analyst believes LeBron James is holding out on a contract extension, says he did the same thing in Miami and Cleveland
Four-time NBA champion LeBron James is eligible for a contract extension starting this month as his current deal expires in the summer of 2023. On "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," analyst Shannon Sharpe said James is yet to commit to a new contract as he wants to see how the roster shapes up.
After the LA Lakers' horrendous season, Sharpe believes James is chasing championships in the twillight of his career and wants to play for a title contender.
"I do believe LeBron James is holding out, because that's what he normally does," Sharpe said. "The only leverage he has is that when it comes up, 'If y'all not making moves, I'm going to leave.' He did that the first time in Cleveland, and he did that in Miami.
"He saw they couldn't make any moves, so he went back. Went back to Cleveland, didn't like the direction it was going in and he came to LA. 'Let me see what types of moves (general manager) Rob (Pelinka), (owner) Jeanie (Buss), you guys can do, because it's all about championships for me.'"
James' current deal, worth over $80 million for two seasons, expires at the end of the 2022-23 season. The four-time Finals MVP signed the deal in 2020 and will have spent five seasons with the Lakers by the end of this upcoming season.
.@ShannonSharpe on LeBron James being eligible for an extension:
"I believe LeBron is holding out. If the Lakers are not making moves to win, he will leave. He did that the first time in Cleveland and he did it again in Miami." https://t.co/G7HfIXPDOZ
LeBron James' impending contract extension
LeBron James, in the twilight of his illustrious career, cannot afford to have another season like the Laker's 2021-22 campaign. While he performed at an MVP level, the Lakers did not even make the play-in tournament despite entering the season with championship aspirations.
One of the biggest impediments last season was Russell Westbrook and the veterans on the roster. While the front office has been overhauling the league's oldest roster with young blood and athleticism, Westbrook continues to be a part of the team.
NBA stat clubs LeBron James is the only member of:
27000/7000/7000 club
28000/8000/8000 club
29000/9000/9000 club
30000/10000/10000 club
31000/10000/10000 club
32000/10000/10000 club
33000/10000/10000 club
34000/10000/10000 club
35000/10000/10000 club
36000/10000/10000 club https://t.co/HnvDl8xt1w
The Lakers have also not addressed their shooting issues. James and company were ranked 22nd in the league in 3-point shooting. Having Westbrook alongside Anthony Davis certainly doesn't help the cause as both are below average shooters from the perimeter.
There is also the matter of Kyrie Irving. James has been an advocate of the Lakers making a move for Irving this summer. However, the Brooklyn Nets are not interested in discussing any trade talks for Kyrie until they resolve their issues with Kevin Durant.
All these reasons make it impossible for James to commit to the Lakers right now.