In a bit of a stunner, LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $85 million maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
While everybody has been waiting for Anthony Davis to make his final decision on a new contract, LeBron just snuck in to agree to a new extension of his own. James is set to make over $39 million this season before a $41 million player option for 2021, but now he's locking himself in with the Lakers through 2023.
LeBron James will turn 36 on Dec. 30, so he'll be nearing 40 years old by the time this deal is up. There's also a chance the Lakers superstar is eyeing the possibility of playing with his son, Bronny, who would be eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft if the one-and-done rule is eliminated and high school graduates are allowed to go straight to the pros again.
All eyes now turn back to Davis, who has been delaying his choice in free agency. While it's a foregone conclusion that he's returning to the Lakers, he's still deciding on the type of contract he's going to sign.
A reasonable expectation is for Davis to take a short-term deal, perhaps a contract with two years plus a player option. That would make the superstar big man eligible to opt out in 2022, which would give him 10 years of service and the opportunity to sign a more lucrative long-term deal.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis just got done leading the Lakers to their 17th title in franchise history by beating the Miami Heat in six games in the 2020 NBA Finals. Los Angeles is in good shape to repeat after a busy offseason filled with upgrades, and now The King has given them another commitment.
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