LeBron James exercises his player option, sets NBA | College News
Lakers celebrity LeBron James will once again make NBA historical past by taking part in in his twenty third NBA season.
James exercised his player option for $52.6 million to play for the Lakers during the 2025-26 season, his agent and CEO of Klutch Sports Rich Paul informed The Times on Sunday morning.
James, the NBA’s all-time main scorer, had been tied with Vince Carter for essentially the most seasons performed in the NBA at 22. This shall be James’ eighth season with the Lakers.
James, 40, is 50 video games away from breaking Hall of Famer Robert Parish’s document for essentially the most video games performed in the common season.
James averaged 24.4 factors per recreation final season, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds.
Fellow Laker Dorian Finney-Smith reportedly declined his $15.3-million player option and will pursue free company, a particular person with data of his determination informed The Times. Finney-Smith, who is coming off a sturdy season with the Lakers, is predicted to be pursued by a number of groups. He may still return to the Lakers. ESPN was first to report Finney-Smith’s determination.
Last week, Austin Reaves declined the group’s most offer of 4 years for $89 million, according to a particular person with data of the state of affairs.
Reaves, 27, still has two years left on his deal, for $13.9 million next season and $14.9 million in the 2026-27 season, and he holds a player option for the final yr of his deal.
Lakers ahead LeBron James (23) and teammate Austin Reaves react to a referee’s call during a 2025 NBA playoff recreation against Minnesota.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
He was third on the Lakers in scoring final season, averaging career-highs in scoring (20.2), assists (5.8), rebounds (4.5) and minutes per recreation (34.9). He shot 46% from the sector and 37.7% from three-point vary.
With the James and Smith player option questions resolved Sunday, the Lakers are centered on filling out their roster. They added an athletic wing player when they acquired Adou Thiero in a commerce with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who drafted him with the thirty sixth choose in the second spherical.
The most urgent need for the Lakers stays a heart, and they’ll have to look into free company or via commerce to purchase one.
The Lakers have the taxpayer mid-level exception of about $5.65 million to spend.
“As I said at the end of the year, we know one of the things we have to address is the center position and that’s clearly going to be one of our focuses as we begin the free-agency period,” Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, informed Spectrum SportsWeb after the second spherical of the draft Thursday. “… “So, we’re looking forward to just putting in the hard work and making sure we take care of all the needs on the roster to give [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick] the tools he needs for this team to be great next season.”
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