"Like James Harden this summer with Philly, take a little bit less money" - NBA analyst urges LeBron James to sign for less money to help improve LA Lakers' roster
LeBron James is taking his time in signing a two-year extension with the LA Lakers. James is eligible to sign a deal worth $97.1 million, but an NBA analyst wants him to take a different route. A decision that would help him and the Lakers win another championship.
On a recent episode of "ESPN Today," Tim Bontemps urged "The King" to take a pay cut to help the Lakers build a better roster. Bontemps pointed out that James Harden did it for the Philadelphia 76ers, and that helped improve their roster.
"The one way they have to do that is for LeBron to wait until next summer, opt out of his contract," Bontemps said. "And like James Harden this summer with Philly, take a little bit less money. Allow them to fill in around him and Anthony Davis on this roster.
"If he signs a max extension this summer, the Lakers are stuck in the exact same situation they are in now. And they're going to be in that situation going forward because they have no other contracts on the roster to trade. They have no other way to create salary and go get other players for the roster."
.@TimBontemps explains why it may be a while before LeBron James signs an extension with the Lakers ✍️ https://t.co/oUBH9eixn0
Harden was eligible to sign a five-year, $269.9 million extension if he opted out of his contract with the Sixers this offseason. However, the former MVP decided to take a pay cut of $15 million for next season. Harden's decision allowed Philly to improve their roster by signing P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.
The Sixers now have a chance to contend for a championship. Joel Embiid is among the best players in the world, while Harden has a full offseason to prepare for his first full season in Philly.
Meanwhile, the Lakers will have a hard time acquiring players if James signs a full two-year extension. Reports suggest that the four-time champ will likely agree to a deal with a player option for Year 2.
Update on LeBron James' extension
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, a meeting between LeBron James and the LA Lakers took place last week. James and his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports met with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach Darvin Ham.
Haynes reported that the initial meeting was about an hour long, but was productive. James expressed his concerns about the team, while also hinting that he does not want to repeat last season's disastrous results. "The King" wants the Lakers to compete in every game to give them a chance at the championship.
Pelinka also told James that he wants him to retire as a member of the Lakers. The four-time champ has been vocal about finishing his career wherever his son Bronny ends up in the 2024 NBA draft. He will be entering his 20th season in the league soon, but remains one of the best players in the world.