According to several sources, including Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, NBA superstar LeBron James has agreed to a two-year extension to his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal for $97.1 million.
The 37-year-old now has $532 million in guaranteed career earnings, surpassing Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant to become the highest-paid player in NBA history in terms of compensation.
James will have the ability to opt out of the contract’s final year if he decides he no longer wants to play for the team because the deal includes a player option for the 2024–25 season.
The Lakers have been contacted by CNN to confirm the new agreement.
The new contract ends any speculation that James, who is already a verified billionaire, will become a free agency the following season and instead allows him to concentrate on creating more NBA history with the Lakers.
On October 18, the new NBA season will begin. If James stays healthy, he should be on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time greatest scorer.
Despite the Lakers missing the playoffs in a challenging season, James averaged 30.3 points per game in 56 games.
However, the organization now has the salary-cap flexibility to sign a second player to a max contract, potentially enhancing the already star-studded lineup that includes players like James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis.
