LeBron James is playing in the final season of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Is the future Hall of Famer on his final lap in the NBA? He won't say. Therefore, nobody else truly knows.
As LeBron gets settled in after missing a chunk of games to begin the 2025-2026 NBA season, it's becoming clear that he might have enough gas left in the tank to continue playing beyond this season.
Realistically, LeBron's future could come down to two key factors. One, the situation with the team. And two, his next contract, and what the dollar figures look like.
This year, LeBron is making over $50 million at 41 years old. Could he command another $50 million deal for his age 42 season? ESPN's Brian Windhorst seriously doubts it.
The Latest Speculation on LeBron's Next Deal
“It’s not realistic for a 41-year-old, even if he’s the greatest 41-year-old athlete the world has ever seen, to make the salary that he’s making," Windhorst said recently.
"The Lakers knew that with where the league is right now, you just can’t have a 42-year-old on a $60 million deal. You just can't."
Over the summer, LeBron and the Lakers had a chance to hit the negotiating table to discuss a possible extension. Nothing came to life, leaving LeBron to opt in with a $52.6 million option.
What happens next will be one of the league's biggest questions.
"The question is going to be, how does his body feel?" Windhorst stated.
"Monetarily, what’s he willing to do? Because if he’s willing to play for the mid-level, is he willing to play for the minimum? And for the last 15 years, LeBron’s been very attuned to maximizing his salary because he felt he was underpaid. And he felt he was underpaid for the middle part of his career there. And he was like, ‘I'm going to make sure I get taken care of.' And I don’t blame him because it’s even now at $50 million what his value to the Lakers is, is probably not accurate."
LeBron James still holds incredible value to the Lakers. However, it's clear that the Luka Doncic era is here. The Lakers need to invest in Doncic's long-term supporting cast.
It's hard to imagine LeBron James playing on a mid-level salary. At the same time, competitive squads could be very hesitant to fork over another deal in that $50 million range.
In nine games this season, LeBron has posted averages of 17.6 points, 7.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. He is shooting 46 percent from the field and knocking down 29 percent of his threes. It's been a slower start for the superstar, as he's battled with multiple setbacks since the offseason, but he's slowly getting back into gear.
The good news for the Lakers is that they have plenty of time to figure out LeBron's true value at this stage. Contract discussions won't have to happen until after the postseason.
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