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LeBron James can become a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season, but don't expect him to go anywhere.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he believes James will finish his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and is "basically already negotiating for his contract."
"I do and I think that he definitely left the door open, especially in the wake of the talks between the Lakers and the Warriors, about a trade there," Windhorst said on Get Up when discussing James' future. "And that is just his nature. He is basically already negotiating for his contract. He can opt out of his contract again this season and sign a new multiyear deal. He can also opt out of his contract and entertain other offers. But I'm just going to say I wouldn't pay much attention to this outside the Lakers situation.
"Two years ago, you may remember he was annoyed the Lakers didn't do anything at the trade deadline. He went to Cleveland during All-Star weekend and said he wasn't closing the door on going back to Cleveland. Everybody got all up in arms and a few months later he signed a two-year contract extension. So, he loves playing in LA. He loves playing for $50 million a year, which he would get staying in Los Angeles. And ultimately, that's where I think he's going to be."
James has a $51.4 million player option for next season. He could either decline that option and negotiate a new deal as a free agent or take the $51.4 million salary and negotiate an extension using that number as a base.
While James reportedly wants to remain with the Lakers, it has not been all smooth sailing this season. The Lakers are just 30-26 overall despite winning six of their last seven heading into the break, and James made a number of cryptic comments leading up to the deadline. James' public demeanor was so negative that the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers even approached the Lakers about a trade. The Lakers declined all overtures after James made it clear he did not want to be traded via agent Rich Paul.
Windhorst did say the Lakers and Warriors could revisit talks in the offseason, depending on how this season plays out.
"LeBron could opt into his contract for an extra year and then sort of engineer a trade if he really wanted to," Windhorst said. "And I do think that depending on how the season ends for both of those teams, right now they're in ninth and 10th, If they end ninth and 10th and don't make it into the playoffs through the play-in tournament I think anything's going to be on the table. But again, LeBron loves living in Los Angeles. His family is in Los Angeles. His future after the game is in Los Angeles. I would be a fool to rule anything out with LeBron but I really don't think it's something that is seriously being considered and if anything, it's a negotiating stance for him as he tries to get maybe one last multiyear contract."
One potential mitigating factor is James' desire to play with his son, USC guard Bronny James, who will be eligible for the 2024 draft. Bronny James has not played to the caliber of an NBA draft pick as he's worked his way back after going into cardiac arrest over the summer, but a team could take a chance in hopes of luring LeBron for his ride off into the sunset.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported some teams believe James could sign at less than his maximum in order to play with his son next season.
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