"LeBron James has made this mistake twice in his career, and both times he regretted it" - Nick Wright asserts that LeBron James shouldn't sign an extension with LA Lakers

LeBron James has always been calculative about the power he retains with his franchise by means of the time period of his contracts. Some of his deals have resulted in giving himself the opportunity to reassess, while some have left him in an undesirable situation – even if it is brief.

James’ current arrangement with the LA Lakers is a two-year contract, and he is eligible for an extension from Thursday through June of next year.

The Lakers have undergone a lot of changes over the summer, from a new head coach to a lot of personnel movement. However, they have been steadfast about not giving away too much to move Russell Westbrook, who had a poor debut season with the franchise. Darvin Ham has also been busy figuring out how to best utilize the diminishing value that Westbrook brings to the floor.

Amid the evident uncertainty, Nick Wright of “First Things First” sees no reason why James should consider extending his contract. Wright drew instances from James’ previous extensions to present his case, saying:

"Absolutely, unequivocally not. LeBron James has made this mistake twice in his career, and both times he regretted it. ... When the Cavs won the title in 2016 – in the afterglow of that – instead of keeping to the one-year deals, he signed a two-year deal. And Dan Gilbert paid him back for that by – within nine months – dismantling the team."

The Cleveland Cavaliers extension cost James two years in the prime of his career, despite James being outstanding in those seasons. However, the current scenario with the Lakers can be viewed in a different light. The Lakers have reportedly worked in tandem with James so far, surrounding him with players he’s asked for. The Westbrook disappointment is something that can be pinned on James and Anthony Davis as much as the front office.

Wright highlighted the results of James’ extension with the Lakers in 2020:

"He made the same mistake again, I would argue, with the Lakers. Went to show commitment to the team, instead of holding their feet to the fire, he gave them four years. They have paid him back this time around by holding on to a 2029 first-round pick – as if it's a winning mega millions ticket."

LeBron James could avoid an extension from a strategy point of view

LeBron James has often spoken highly of the Lakers organization and his desire to win as many titles as possible for the celebrated franchise. Moreover, despite being an aging superstar, James delivered individually in what could be considered the franchise’s worst season last year.

An extension for James at this point would mean a big paycheck as well, taking away a bit of the flexibility that could probably be exercised next summer.

Nick Wright talked about James not extending his contract now:

“Even if he wants to be a Laker long term, the financial flexibility that would open up – by him not being locked into a max contract before next year’s free agency – would be a bad reason to do it.”

The way the trade market and salary caps have evolved over the years, it is in both James and the Lakers’ best interest to play the waiting game. James is an aging star who could possibly take a pay cut to get the right personnel, if necessary.