NBA LeBron James inks 2-year, $97.1 million deal with Lakers

LeBron James inks 2-year, $97.1 million deal with Lakers

[{"selector":"#anim-e53842d2-7999-4f99-a5ad-04b71cf99280","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5ed7e06-0870-4c8c-8fff-4330370a5cb2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c68a3cc-b2d3-49c0-89b9-8f6ba242e424 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-5.478454265389253%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension through the 2024-25 season, according to his agent.

[{"selector":"#anim-198bd09f-9cc4-4587-ad6a-06dd45a8c764","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b319db8-af51-48ca-bfba-c0187148ce3b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-207ab3ea-2090-45b1-8881-f21502fbc5ed [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] According to Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, the league-maximum contract makes James the highest-paid player in NBA history.

[{"selector":"#anim-8c2d5a05-b296-4a4b-ad5b-57fc29e5129d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a373f375-cdb4-457b-8e7d-7574a9f879e7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9cee29d-e613-4164-aa29-aa26e0c668c7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] His new contract contains a player option that would keep the Lakers' second-leading scorer through his 40th birthday in December 2024.

[{"selector":"#anim-56efd61e-3f72-4908-9e9a-3b09acd59439","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f72d798f-c940-47d4-92a0-efdc48986cd3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a465908-4c02-42c4-a510-8102fc863789 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Barring an injury, James will likely surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer this winter.

[{"selector":"#anim-0a8be4cf-3501-4388-bcb2-e0cb54d4ef21","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-317c5528-e2f8-427c-bf1e-e2180ea89f24","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2744aecb-d21b-476b-bca3-d457fcf2fc64 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] James and the Lakers expect to be title contenders if James and Anthony Davis return healthy following an injury-plagued 2021-22 season.

[{"selector":"#anim-a37c43a8-beff-45da-823f-3350077d161d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6151cf1-2631-4659-8faf-1fc765acd74e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2a69722-cbca-4a08-9654-802195b0007d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] James's new deal and Davis's most recent contract extension with the Lakers are in sync, which means that both players can leave the Lakers or negotiate new deals in 2024.

[{"selector":"#anim-d86e8c9f-6f6e-4fe4-a08d-026f70742de2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a63d149-b908-4c3e-b762-1781a0174d17","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3368070e-1224-45b6-a1a8-13226bd6086d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(15.717857064206541%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] James doesn't seem to be going anywhere on social media or in public, and he liked that the Lakers hired Darvin Ham as their new coach. Learn more