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LeBron James is reportedly viewed as likely to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, but there are multiple factors weighing on his next contract.
On the latest episode of Buha's Block (h/t HoopsHype.com), Jovan Buha of The Athletic said "all indications" are that James will remain in L.A.:
Buha noted that LeBron will likely either opt in for the final year of his contract in 2024-25 and sign an extension, or he will opt out and re-sign with the Lakers on a completely new deal.
Which path James takes will depend on what he values most, as Buha reported that if James wants a no-trade clause, he will opt out and then re-sign. However, if he just wants more money, he would opt in and sign an extension in August.
Appearing Monday on the Pat McAfee Show (h/t HoopsHype.com), Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium added that family will also weigh heavily on LeBron with regard to his next move:
"The other factor is, and this is something else I've heard recently, is that he knows how much people around him have sacrificed—his wife, his kids, his close friends, his loved ones. They've sacrificed a lot for him over these 21 years, could end up being up to 23 years that he plays in the league … and so pouring that back to them at some point in the next one or two years I know that's a priority as well."
At 39 years of age, James is the oldest player in the NBA, but he still isn't showing any signs of slowing down.
The legendary future Hall of Famer was named an All-Star for the 20th time in his 21st NBA season this year, and he also continued to play at an MVP-caliber level.
Leading a Lakers team that reached the playoffs, James averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists,7.3 rebounds, 2.1 three-pointers made and 1.3 steals. He also shot 54.0 percent from the field and a career-best 41.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Perhaps most impressively, James played in 71 regular-season games, which was his most since 2017-18 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James won his fourth career championship in 2020, which was his second season in L.A., and while he hasn't been back to the NBA Finals since then, the Lakers are built to win now with LeBron and Anthony Davis leading the way.
It is unclear how many more chances James will have to win a fifth career championship, but Charania reported that it is "not out of the realm of possibility" for him to play three more seasons, or even as much as four to five more seasons.
One thing that could conceivably make LeBron want to stick around longer is if the Lakers select his son, Bronny James, in the 2024 NBA draft.
Coming off a heart procedure, Bronny largely struggled during his freshman season at USC, but he decided to enter the draft anyway. Bronny can still withdraw and go back to school, but LeBron's desire to play alongside his son could potentially compel the Lakers to take him.
The Athletic's Charania, Buha and Sam Amick recently reported that the Lakers are open to helping LeBron "fulfill his dream" by being teammates with Bronny.
However, Buha later said as part of a Lakers mailbag that he expects the Lakers to be "aggressive" in trading away the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft for a third star to team with James and Davis.
If that happens and Bronny remains in the draft, the Lakers would either have to trade for another pick or hope Bronny falls to No. 55 overall in the second round.
Given Bronny's disappointing season at USC, it is entirely possible that he'll be available at No. 55, which would allow the Lakers to both upgrade their roster now and improve LeBron's family life.
Whatever the case, it seems like a safe bet that LeBron will be back in L.A. for the 2024-25 season, meaning the Lakers should be title contenders once again.
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