Just recently, superstar forward LeBron James opted out of his contract and is expected to get a new contract from the Los Angeles Lakers. But if he wants his team to succeed, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer must take a paycut to attract other guys to join the Purple and Gold.
According to recent reports, James is willing to take a pay cut on his next contract in order to help the team sign another prominent player. James, a 20-time All-Star, opted out of his $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, but is expected to remain with the Lakers on a new deal.
While James is eligible for a three-year, $162 million contract, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports that the veteran forward is open to a lesser deal if it allows the Lakers to add an established veteran playmaker like James Harden or Klay Thompson, or an experienced big man like Jonas Valanciunas to play alongside Anthony Davis.
James remained a dominant force for the Lakers last season, averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds in 71 games. However, the team’s playoff run was short-lived, as they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round. This led to the dismissal of head coach Darvin Ham, with J.J. Redick now set to take the helm.
The Lakers added Dalton Knecht and James’ son Bronny in the 2024 NBA Draft, but the potential addition of another veteran star could be the missing piece for the team to contend with the top teams in the Western Conference. James’ willingness to take a pay cut underscores his desire to put the Lakers in the best position to succeed.
LeBron James’ Projected New Salary To Help the Los Angeles Lakers Compete Next Season
As it stands, there isn’t any official word yet on how much James will earn for his new contract. But according to a tweet by Jovan Buha on X, the King will most likely start with a base salary of $33 million.
“Update: Reran the numbers and used Bronny’s official projection ($1,160,543). LA will be at around $182.3M in salary if LeBron re-signs for the $49.9M max. So he’d have to take a $17(ish) million discount for LA to use $12.9M NTMLE and his 2024-25 salary would begin at ~$33M,” Buha wrote.
In 71 games last season, James averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest. He also shot 54 percent from the field, 41 percent from beyond the arc, and 75 percent from the free throw line.
It remains to be seen what the Lakers are willing to offer James and whether he’ll receive it or not. What’s certain, though, is that the King must be willing to take a lower salary if he wants to win ring number five.
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