What is LeBron James' new contract with LA Lakers in 2024? Salary, duration and more
LeBron James is reportedly back with the LA Lakers after planning to re-sign the team in 2024 NBA free agency. James was an unrestricted free agent. However, he was expected to return to LA, especially after the team drafted his son, Bronny James, with the No. 55 pick. The only question was the length and deal he would sign for.
What is LeBron James' contract with LA Lakers in 2024?
LeBron will sign a two-year, $104 million maximum deal with the Lakers. He was initially expected to sign a three-year, $162 million contract. There were also murmurs of him potentially taking a pay cut of up to $20 million to facilitate the signing of Klay Thompson. However, the former Warriors guard chose the Dallas Mavericks instead.
With no significant prospect available in free agency, LeBron James seems to have opted to sign the max deal he could, but on a short term. He will have a player option for next year. James also has negotiated a no-trade clause, giving him power over his future while he's under contract.
Lakers hopes of marquee free agency addition likely over
It seems like the Lakers will likely run it back with last year's core after LeBron James signed a max contract. The free agency's best players are all signed up elsewhere, leaving no room for the Lakers to make a run at a marquee addition via the midlevel exception worth $12.8 million.
They could have had that with James taking a $20 million pay cut, but it won't be the case. According to reports, Klay Thompson, James Harden and Jonas Valancinas were three candidates James was willing to take a pay cut for. However, Thompson went to the Mavericks, Harden re-signed with the Clippers, and the Wizards won the Valanciunas sweepstakes.
The Lakers can still make some trade moves to get their targets. Among available players, they could sign Gary Trent Jr., Dario Saric and Malik Beasley, but only as veteran minimum deals. They are over the second apron and can't acquire players via sign-and-trade in free agency, nor can they take back more salary in a trade.
The Lakers are reportedly also in talks with the Trail Blazers, Jazz and Nets, who boast quality role players, which they might be looking to offload in trades. The Lakers have multiple expiring contracts they could use and two future first-round picks to package a deal.