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LeBron James is aware that everyone is watching everything he says. He is aware of the strength that accompanies that truth as well.
James grinned when someone asked about his future after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs by the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.
James responded, “I’m not going to answer that.”
Not because he is incapable of doing so or because he is unwilling. It’s possible that James is unsure of his precise NBA future after this summer.
He is aware of his options, though, and one of them is to remain in Los Angeles.
James has known he is in the ultimate position of power ever since signing a four-year, $154 million ($A238 million) contract with the Lakers in 2018.
But this summer isn’t like previous ones. LeBron James plays for the Lakers, and he has the option to opt out of his contract in its final year or become a free agent for the first time since moving to Los Angeles.
James has until June 29 to decide. This is a crucial date because it falls just a few days after the NBA Draft, when son Bronny James might be selected to play in the league.
The Lakers are apparently willing to take into consideration turning the 39-year-old’s long-standing wish to play with his kid into a reality.
But, it won’t be the only thing influencing James’s future course of action.
Three things will be taken into account when James chooses whether to exercise his $51.4 million ($A79.4 million) player option for the 2024–25 season, according to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst.
According to the first, James would likely wait until the June 29 deadline to make his decision before deciding what steps the Lakers take or don’t take in this year’s draft.
Windhorst stated, “I think he wants to see what the Lakers do around the draft,” on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “
They could trade three first-round selections and a few contracts in exchange for it to improve the team. You recall that at the trade deadline, they made no notable additions to this team.
“LeBron remembered that, and I believe he enjoys applying pressure to them.”
And there’s Bronny, who made an appearance on the early entry list for the 2024 draft on Wednesday.
This does not imply that he will definitely declare for the draft, but rather that he is at least considering his choices, which include returning to the college game for one more year.
For Bronny, who had a heart arrest in August of last year and finished the season with an average of 4.8 points and 20 minutes per game for the Trojans, that might be a better choice.
To put it another way, even if Bronny is selected, it is unlikely that he would play regularly in the NBA straight away; instead, he will likely begin his career in the G-League as he refines his skills.Furthermore, last year LeBron told ESPN it was more about sharing the floor with his son than it was about hoping to play his final year with Bronny, despite his initial 2022 statement to The Athletic to the contrary.James stated at the time, “Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him.”That’s in line with what ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Wednesday on “NBA Today,” stating that James “does not prioritise the idea of them playing together.”
LeBron James no longer prioritises it, at least for right now, Wojnarowski continued.
Following the Lakers’ playoff collapse, The Athletic released a report claiming that L.A. is “very open” to the possibility of picking Bronny. However, if the team decides to pursue stars, it is more probable that the picks will be dealt as part of a trade.
DRAFT PICKS OF LAKERS FOR 2024Lakers’ first-round selection (the Pelicans may hold onto their pick until 2025)Lakers’ (the Spurs’ own pick) second-round selectionSecond-round pick of the Clippers (owner of the Lakers)According to Windhorst, the Pelicans will likely hold onto their selection until next year, which means the Lakers will enter the draft with the 17th and 55th overall picks.However, Bronny is more of a developing player who is unlikely to be available at the 55th overall choice and does not project as a mid-first-round selection.Regarding the third reason, the ESPN expert stated that Windhorst believes James would opt out, it basically boils down to the Lakers star receiving more leverage in his next contract.
Windhorst stated, “I believe he can include certain features in a new contract.”
“He will only receive $50 million and a year if he chooses to opt in. He does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, and he may receive many years.
In the NBA, Bradley Beal is the sole owner of the one that exists. If he wants to lock that in too, I wouldn’t be shocked.
“I do believe that LeBron will be quiet from now until the end of June while we watch the Lakers play as a team.”
James said as much on Twitter on Wednesday, stating that he is “just thinking about spending time” with his friends and family because he is unsure of what the future holds.
He continued, “You guys will know when I know after talking with the family, my counsel, and my representation about it.”
Even though that might be the case, what are the other top league insiders speculating about in terms of James’ and the Lakers’ potential futures?
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, team management were still unsure about James’ plans for his contract as of last week.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, meanwhile, reported that league sources “have largely believed all season” that James has a “strong preference” to finish his career with the Lakers.
According to a thorough investigation by Shams Charania, Jovan Buha, and Sam Amick of The Athletic, James has the choice to accept or reject his $51.4 million ($A79.4 million) player option.
The article stated that the Lakers want James to return “badly” and that the 39-year-old’s decision to stay with the team “remains the most likely scenario.”
If it meant retaining James in Los Angeles, the Lakers would even consider offering him the maximum three-year, $164 million ($A253 million) agreement, according to a report from The Athletic.
Ultimately, as Windhorst also mentioned, his choice may depend on what the Lakers accomplish to strengthen their squad throughout the summer.
Prior to his June 29 option date, Charania, Buha, and Amick predicted that James would want to observe how the Lakers handle the offseason and their strategy for assembling a team that centres around him and Davis.
“He values having a deep and well-rounded group surrounding him, so the Lakers may look to make trades in preparation for that player option, which is set to take place on June 30—the day free agency opens—and the NBA Draft, which starts on June 26.
What might that specifically look like, then?
Russell’s performance during the last stretch of the regular season was a major factor in the Lakers’ initial playoff appearance, even if his inconclusive performance against the Nuggets—which included a scoreless Game 3—is still vivid in the memory.
Russell stated in his farewell interview, “I’ll try to take advantage of the fact that I know what position I’m going to put myself in because when I signed my contract last year, I knew what position I was going to put myself in.”
Russell appears to be considering to opt out of the second year of his contract, which might raise questions about his future in Los Angeles based on the kind of offers he receives.
The Lakers, who have been linked to Hawks standout Trae Young for some time, would be much more motivated to chase an upgrade at point guard if Russell were to depart.
The Lakers are “expected to be aggressive in the market,” according to the Athletic article, and Young is “one of many names that is expected to be discussed.”
Given that NBA insider Marc Stein revealed last month that the Hawks are “likely” to deal either Dejounte Murray or Young this offseason, there would probably be mutual interest.
With a recent Hawks season average of 25.7 points and 10.8 assists, Young would undoubtedly be a more reliable scoring option than Russell.
Although Young’s suitability is in doubt due to his problems with Dejounte Murray, another ball-dominant point guard in Atlanta, and that’s before you even consider his defensive shortcomings.
Furthermore, as per The Athletic article, James “places importance on having comprehensive and well-rounded depth around him.”Well, giving up some of that depth would mean paying Young’s $43 million ($A66 million) yearly salary.According to The Athletic, Austin Reaves has “strong value across the league,” and the Lakers’ three first-round picks—which could be moved on draft night—would also probably be discussed in a trade with Rui Hachimura.
Even if Young, who is at least 25 years old, is clearly not the same player as Westbrook, they would be making the same error again if they were to discard depth and long-term assets in the hopes of landing a star player.
Regardless of the outcome, the entire league will be monitoring the Lakers and LeBron as they make important decisions this summer.
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