LeBron James wants every penny available in his next Lakers contract, and here's why

Just before free agency began, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, making him an unrestricted free agent. Despite the decision, he is fully expected to come to terms on a new deal with the team, especially since they drafted his son Bronny. However, reports indicate that he will not be giving the Lakers any sort of discount.

According to ESPN, LeBron James wants to sign a max contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. This is a change in stance, as he had a different idea heading into free agency.

It seems like part of the reason why James opted out of a $51.4 million salary in 2024-2025 was to give Los Angeles the flexibility to bring in meaningful talent. Bleacher Report revealed that James would have been willing to accept a smaller payday if the Lakers landed the likes of Klay Thompson, James Harden, or Jonas Valanciunas.

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According to Yahoo Sports, LeBron James called Klay Thompson the minute free agency got underway, in order to make his pitch. Thompson has Lakers ties, as his father Mychal played 5 seasons for the team from 1986-1991.

However, Los Angeles didn’t end up getting any of their main targets. Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks, Harden re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Valanciunas was signed by the Washington Wizards.

Shortly after all three free agents were off the board, ESPN’s report about James wanting a full maximum deal came out. It stands to reason that James does not want to sacrifice significant earnings at this stage of his career if his team isn’t going to be markedly better.

Los Angeles has been in this situation before, as they navigate the final years of an aging superstar’s career. The Lakers made Kobe Bryant the highest paid NBA player in 2014-2015, and 2015-2016. The Los Angeles Times debated whether that was the right thing to do. Showing loyalty to an all-time great was admirable, but it also limited the team’s ability to build around Bryant.

The potential difference here is that James allegedly went into the summer with the idea of being flexible. Since it appears as if that is no longer his mindset, the end result may be exactly the same as what happened in Bryant’s last couple years with the Lakers.

Even though he’s 39 years old, James is still one of the best players in the NBA. He averaged over 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game. He also suited up for 71 regular season games, his most since the 2017-2018 campaign.

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According to ABC News, the Lakers can offer James a three-year deal worth as much as $162 million. It sounds like he’s going to want every single penny.