LeBron James (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, there was widespread speculation about LeBron James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers drafted his son in the second round, leading the NBA legend to hint at his return to the team with a clear focus on a team-first mentality.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenaim, James is prepared to take a pay cut to bring in star players like James Harden, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, and Jonas Valančiūnas.
REPORT: LeBron James is willing to take a pay cut for players like:
James Harden
Klay Thompson
Jonas Valančiūnas(via @mcten) pic.twitter.com/vtyi3lXwkd
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 29, 2024
“The type of player that James would be willing to make a financial sacrifice for would be an established veteran playmaker such as James Harden or Klay Thompson, or an established big man to play alongside Anthony Davis such as Jonas Valančiūnas,” McMenamin reported.
LeBron faced a 5 p.m. ET deadline on Saturday to inform the Lakers of his decision regarding his contract. Ultimately, he chose to opt out of the final year of his contract, worth $51.4 million for the next season, paving the way for his teammates. Reportedly, the Lakers were ready to adorn his legacy with a three-year max deal.
Harden, Thompson, and Valanciunas are all unrestricted free agents. Nevertheless, this isn’t the first instance of James prioritizing the team over financial gain. During his Miami Heat career, the 39-year-old accepted a pay cut to join forces with stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
LeBron James Prioritizes Lakers’ Roster Enhancement for Legacy Revival
LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, stated that LeBron is now concentrating on improving the Lakers’ roster to revive their legacy.
Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told ESPN that LeBron James has officially opted out with L.A. and will work with LAL on his next deal if it means adding an impact player: "He is prioritizing a roster improvement. He's been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster."
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 29, 2024
“He is prioritizing a roster improvement. He’s been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster,” Paul told ESPN on Saturday.
LeBron appears determined not to let anything hinder the Lakers’ ambitions for the upcoming season. James averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in the previous season across 71 games.
