LeBron James Eyeing Pay Cut For Lakers To Land 1 Of These Stars

With his next contract, LeBron James plans to strengthen the Los Angeles Lakers’ chances of contending for another NBA championship. He opted out of his $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, creating an avenue for flexibility.

While he is eligible for a three-year, $162 million contract, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that James is open to accepting a smaller contract to help the Lakers unlock the $12.9 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, allowing the team to sign a difference-making talent potentially.

“The type of player that James would be willing to make a financial sacrifice for would be an established veteran playmaker like James Harden or Klay Thompson , or an established big man to play alongside Anthony Davis – like Jonas Valančiūnas ,” McMenamin wrote.

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James, 39, continues to be a formidable force. This season, he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds, helping the Lakers to a 47-35 record and a playoff berth.

The Lakers’ playoff run was cut short when the Denver Nuggets eliminated them in five games. This led to the firing of head coach Darvin Ham , and JJ Redick now takes over. There is still a strong motivation to contend for a second championship with James before he retires.

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In the 2024 NBA Draft, the Lakers selected Dalton Knecht and LeBron’s son, Bronny James . Still, adding another veteran to the team could be critical for the Lakers to compete with the elite teams in the Western Conference. D’Angelo Russell could be a trade candidate to monitor.

James could still get a max deal if the Lakers cannot get one of their targets to take a pay cut to sign for the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

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