“He is still the face, not only of the franchise, he’s the face of the league”- NBA analyst believes Lebron James is paid max to keep showtime alive in Los Angeles

LeBron James, who signed a two-year extension with the LA Lakers last month, is still the face of the league. Even Skip Bayless, known for his criticism of the 18-time All-Star, says so.

Bayless said:

"The point is, he missed some games last year; he missed some games the year before." Skip Bayless said. "(Lakers owner) Jeanie Buss is concluding that Showtime has to be more side-Showtime. Because all in the end that she has to care about is her bottom line. And now it’s more about marketing and rating than winning championships.

"He is still the face, not only of the franchise, he’s the face of the league to me."

Bayless pointed out that the contract extension that the Lakers gave the four-time champ was for the business side of things. With James still with Los Angeles, people will still flock to the Crypto.com arena just to watch Lakers games, regardless of the outcome.

James is about to enter his 20th NBA season and is still playing at an elite level. He finished last season averaging 30.3 points, 6.2 assists and 8.2 rebounds. The last time he had similar numbers was when he was 23 years old. However, because the Lakers went 33-49, James finished tied for 10th in MVP voting.

LBJ only played in 56 games last season (and 45 of 72 in 2020-21). The previous campaign took a toll on him as he tried to single-handedly carry the Lakers. Even though they had Russell Westbrook, his style of play didn't mesh well with LeBron. Plus, Anthony Davis' health became an issue for much of last season. The Brow played only 40 games because of knee and ankle injuries.

Will LeBron James retire as a Laker?

LeBron James is still one of the NBA's top players, even though he's on the older side. He's about to enter his 20th season and for most people, his ability to still be the No. 1 option for a team at this point is unmatched.

But that doesn't rule out the fact that he's in his twilight years.

In recent years, he's been sidelined due to more injuries compared to his years with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat. He's missed 84 of 307 games in four seasons as a Laker after missing 77 in his previous 15 seasons.

Many are looking at the possibility of James retiring after his final deal with the Lakers. The question is still, though, will the Lakers be able to get Bronny James in the future? LeBron James has talked about wish to play with his son on the same team.

If there is a team bold enough to acquire Bronny when the time comes (no sooner than 2024), it could be like securing a roster spot for the four-time MVP.