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will be the highest paid player of all time in the NBA

Two-year contract for 97.1 million, with player options for 2024-25. He will thus reach a total of 532 million contracts with NBA franchises: none like him

LeBron James is back with the Los Angeles Lakers. Guaranteed two-year extension for $ 97 million, with player option for the 2024-25 season. James was on his contract, with a last year of over 44 million salaries in yellow and purple. James can thus go through 40 years as an NBA player, he will turn 38 next December. What’s more: he has achieved 532 million career earnings, an absolute record.

Business center

LeBron calls Los Angeles not only the city of the franchise he plays for, but also the hub of his various activities. Therefore, joining the Lakers until the end of his career was an expected move, indeed a foregone conclusion. It wasn’t clear how long James wanted to play. Obviously for another two years. Maybe for three, actually. Maybe he wants to wait for Bronny, his son, who will soon choose which college to play next season. Playing with the child would be the icing on the cake of a historical career in which it has gone beyond his dreams. LeBron has so far played 4 seasons at the Lakers: twice he has not even made it to the playoffs, once he went out in the first round with the Californians, but he won the title in the Orlando bubble in 2020, and as MVP of the Finals, thus ennobling his experience in a historical franchise with a great tradition. It was his fourth NBA triumph, for three different franchises, after Miami and Cleveland.

Point of view of the Lakers

If James’s choice was obvious, the franchise’s orientation was a little less so. Historically able to attract free samples, with the market sparkling him. LeBron in California also makes films, in his spare time … But the current reality speaks of a LeBron “master” of the franchise. Capable of good weather and bad weather through Rich Paul, the boss of the Klutch agency, reference as a tank in the Lakers roster. Basically, LeBron makes the deal and not too hidden, even if technically the general manager of the franchise is Rob Pelinka. With that situation, old or not, it was very difficult for the Lakers to even think of unloading it. And we’re not even talking about trading it. He had the ball once again. It was more a question of how much, more than if, then. In short, how long would LeBron decide to play with the Lakers. Doubt was next. Now cleared up. Long…

the market

At this point, at least for the next two seasons, the new generation will aim to win immediately because LeBron has no time to lose at this age. So the projects will be short-term, immediate. It’s hard for the Lakers to cram the youngsters into the staff here. Kyrie Irving’s name is also relevant: James had courted him this summer, he would like to take him to the city of angels to reconstitute the couple that gave the title to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Obviously the two are no longer what they were … a Irving, LeBron should get rid of Westbrook, even considering coexistence with the California outside never worked last year. And so we need common markets, maybe a third team to get involved before we offer a direct trade to the Brooklyn Nets. We will see soon. For now, the certainty is that LeBron will stay with the Lakers, as the king of Los Angeles. And still a long time. Ricardo Pratesi

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