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Questions regarding LeBron James' future have risen since the LA Lakers' heartbreaking first-round exit. Ever since Anthony Davis got injured, 36-year-old James in his 18th season, was the only player left in the squad capable of making a push to win the series. The supporting cast was practically of no help and now the spotlight has fallen on the LA Lakers' front office.
NBA rumors have people asking the question of whether LeBron James will end his career playing for Purple and Gold. Although it might sound delusional, James is chasing greatness and not trying to figure things out on a hapless roster. GM Rob Pelinka retained no major players from the 2020 championship run and now surrounding LeBron James with elite talent should be his utmost priority.
How long is LeBron James going to stay with the LA Lakers?
LeBron James signed a two-year $85 million extension with the LA Lakers in the 2020 offseason. Next season, he'll draw a salary of $41.1 million and $44.4 million the year after that. There is no team or player option at the end of his deal. Hence, he is contractually obligated to stay with the team until the end of the 2022-23 NBA season and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2023 at age 38.
However, James may decide to leave Purple and Gold if the front office is unable to give him a championship roster. He is one of the most durable players we have ever seen. Even at age 36, LeBron James plays like he is 28 years old, leading a team on his back and averaging stellar numbers in the process. He cannot afford to waste his time on a team if it is not built for a championship.
Nevertheless, it does seem far-fetched that James will leave the third franchise he settled in. He owns a house in LA where his family lives and has several Hollywood exploits, from "Road Trippin" to "The Shop: Uninterrupted". James recently starred in Space Jam 2 and has several other investments in California. LeBron James appears to have found a home in Los Angeles and the only other franchise he might consider moving to is the Cleveland Cavaliers, his home team. Given that the Cavaliers are a lottery team, we can easily remove that option from consideration.
LeBron James has repeatedly said that he is honored to wear the LA Lakers colors. He feels enormous respect following in the footsteps of some of the great LA Lakers like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, etc.
Famous ESPN NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith appeared on the KJZ show and spoke about whether LeBron James would consider moving to a new city. Keyshawn Johnson asked Smith if James would end his career as a Laker and if this is the last team he is going to be on, to which Smith replied:
"Yes, I believe so. I believe the only place he would ever go back to is Cleveland and I can't see that happening. I think this is it. Especially since Anthony Davis signed there. If Anthony Davis is here, LeBron has a lot to do with that. That's the guy Klutch Sports wanted...We know when they're healthy, they're championship caliber."
The LA Lakers are essentially built around LeBron James. He is the main reason why Anthony Davis was signed to the team and that he intends to take the franchise to where it belongs, the championship. In the 2018 offseason, when James left the Cavaliers, there was a rumor that he wanted to play for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden but his wife convinced him to sign with the LA Lakers. If, hypothetically, James decides to leave for any team in the Eastern Conference, he'll get slandered for ducking the competition of the West.
The only other possibility that has been raised is if his son Bronny gets drafted by a different organization and he ultimately decides to go there to play with him. LeBron James has repeatedly said he will retire once his son is in the NBA and might want to play with him on the same team.
Given all the evidence, it does seem unlikely that LeBron James is going to leave the LA Lakers any time soon.
Also Read: NBA Rumors: LA Lakers targeting two-way wing Kelly Oubre Jr. in free agency
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