LeBron James Signs Two-Year Deal with Lakers, Impacts Team's Roster Flexibility

LeBron James has agreed to return to the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year, $104 million contract that includes a player option for 2025-26 and a no-trade clause, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The deal brings James back for his 22nd NBA season and essentially becomes a one-plus-one deal that allows him to reassess his Lakers and NBA future next summer. James joins Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal as one of only two players in the NBA with no-trade clauses. The maximum deal of $104 million would put the Lakers about $1 million over the league's new punitive salary second apron and would severely limit the team's roster flexibility.

James' agent Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports, is planning to discuss with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka the possibility of taking $1 million or so below the maximum to keep Los Angeles under the $188.9 million second apron, sources said. The Lakers also reached an agreement Wednesday to sign Bronny James Jr. -- the 55th selection in this year's draft -- to his rookie contract, a league source told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. He agreed to a four-year, $7.9 million deal with a team option on the fourth year, the source said. Bronny James will join his father on the Lakers roster, where they could be the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time in league history.

LeBron James, who will turn 40 on Dec. 30, is considered one of the greatest players in NBA history. The only player to eclipse 40,000 career points, he is fourth all time in assists, eighth in steals, eighth in 3-pointers made and third in free throws made. Last season, James became the first player to make 20 All-Star teams, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- whom he had already passed for the all-time scoring mark -- for the most in NBA history. James' 20 All-NBA selections and 13 first-team All-NBA selections are also the most in the history of the sport.

He also is the NBA's all-time leader in postseason points scored and is in the top 10 in rebounds (fourth), assists (second), steals (first), blocks (10th), 3-pointers made (third) and free throws made (first). The four-time champion and MVP, who led the Lakers to their 17th title in 2020 in the NBA's bubble, averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds last season in his age-39 campaign. James, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic were the only three players to average at least 25, 8 and 7 in the NBA last season. The Lakers, though, were unable to get past the first round for the fourth time in his six seasons in Los Angeles. Before joining the Lakers, James reached the NBA Finals eight consecutive years with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers and won at least a single playoff series in 13 consecutive seasons.

LeBron James' new contract with the Lakers has significant implications for the team's salary cap and roster flexibility. The $104 million deal, along with a player option and no-trade clause, poses challenges for the Lakers in terms of making additional moves throughout the season. The contract puts the team slightly over the league's salary cap, limiting their ability to make significant roster changes. LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, is exploring options to potentially reduce the contract amount to help the team stay under the salary cap. Additionally, the Lakers have signed Bronny James Jr.

to a rookie contract, creating a unique father-son duo on the team. The Lakers will need to carefully manage their roster and salary cap to maximize their potential for the upcoming season. The team's leadership will need to make strategic decisions to balance the roster and maintain competitiveness in the league. As LeBron James prepares for his 22nd NBA season, his presence on the Lakers roster brings both excitement and challenges for the team as they aim for success in the upcoming season.