LeBron James has opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN.
The decision, which was expected, came two days after the team selected his son, Bronny, with the 55th pick in the NBA draft.
But the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is widely expected to remain with the Lakers and could well take a pay cut from his projected salary of around $52 million this season.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA playoffs first round matchup against the Denver Nuggets on April 27, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“He prioritizes improving the roster. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to improve the roster,” Paul told the network.
After returning to the Cavaliers, James joined the Lakers in 2018 and finally brought a championship to the city of Cleveland. In 2020, he won his fourth NBA title with the Lakers.
He just completed his 21st season and appeared in his record-tying 20th All-Star Game.
The 39-year-old averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game, matching his career averages of 27.1, 7.4 and 7.5, while also setting career highs with 41.7% 3-point shooting and becoming the first player to score at least 40,000 points in his career.
Among players age 35 or older who have played at least 100 games, James’ 27.2 points per game is the highest scoring average of all time by a wide margin. Michael Jordanhas averaged 22.5 points in 171 games since turning 35. James has played in 262 games since his 35th birthday.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures during the first half of a game against the Denver Nuggets on March 2, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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With the Lakers selecting Bronny, LeBron and Bronny became the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time.
Before his collegiate career began, Bronny went into cardiac arrest during a workout at USC in July 2023. It was later revealed he had a congenital heart condition. He was cleared to return, and the Associated Press recently reported that he has been medically cleared to play. NBA.
LeBron previously said he would spend his final NBA years with his son, leading some to speculate in recent years that James would also retire after playing a year with his son, but Paul said last week that the two contracts were not set.
Paul said LeBron has “dropped the idea” of playing with his son and is more focused on Bronny’s development in the league.
However, Bronny received training invitations from at least 10 teams. Only two were accepted from the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. But Paul says it was all “according to plan.”
Scouts were not very kind to Bronny, with one scout calling him “not an NBA prospect,” and he averaged less than five points per game in his lone season with the USC Trojans.
Bronny James of the USC Trojans, left, greets LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers before a game against the Stanford Cardinal at the Galen Center on Jan. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
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When the 2024-25 season begins, LeBron will stand to make history in two ways: Not only will he share the court with his son, but he will also tie Vince Carter for the most NBA seasons played with 22.
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