Lebron Jamesit’s white smoke with the Los Angeles Lakers. The native of Akron, 40 years old next December, will remain in the yellow and purple jersey for the “modest” sum of $104 million over the next two yearsthe maximum salary that the Californian franchise could offer. The second year is in player option and a “no-trade clause” has been inserted. LeBron at the start of this free agency had expressed his willingness to grant a discount to the Lakers (and not re-sign at the maximum salary) in case this effort would have served the club to sign another star. “If that were not the case, however, we will ask for the maximum,” his historic Rich Paul had hastened to specify. And so it was, after Klay Thompson, leaving Golden State after 13 seasons, decided to sign for the Dallas Maverics.
INSIGHTS
LeBron will likely decide next summer whether to retire from basketball or continue for another year.
It will depend on the physical condition of the King, but also whether the Lakers will be able to return to being competitive for the NBA title and, perhaps, another factor could be the growth of Bronny, his son, recently chosen in the Draft and at the center of great media attention.
Yesterday, he and Dalton Knecht, chosen with the number nine, much taller than LeBron Jr.’s 55, were presented to the press. First official photo with the number 9 jersey and first statements. “They say I don’t deserve an opportunity like this – said the player -. but I’ve had to deal with remarks like that all my life. It’s nothing new, like The pressure I feel on me is not new eitherobviously amplified now that I’m with the Lakers. But I’ve already lived it.” He then also spoke about the teachings he received from his father over the years: “The work ethic, the importance of coming to the gym every day with the right attitude, listening to the coaches, always being available to train: these are concepts that he has always instilled in my head,” Bronny said. That with the Lakers he will have a 2+1 agreement, with the player’s option on the third, but not a “two way” that would make him shuttle between the team and satellite club in the G League.
NBA SALARIES ARE GROWING SOARLY
LeBron’s renewal at a rather high figure is the latest in a long series of renewals (the day before yesterday the Boston Celtics renewed Jayson Tatum at 314 million dollars for the next five years) that has made the NBA a sort of “Eldorado” for the most representative players. Although comparing different eras is always difficult, just to give an example, the highest salary received by a player in the season 1946-47, the league’s debut, was $8,000.. The lucky one was Joe Fulks, star of the then Philadelphia Warriors. To get to the present day, in the 2014/15 season it was Kobe Bryant who received the highest salary, 23.5 million dollars. From that moment, salaries have skyrocketed in a perhaps exaggerated way. After Kobe, it was time for Steph Curry first reach 37.5 million, then exceed 40 and reach 50. Next year it will take over 55.
The contract renewal just signed with the Celtics will bring Jayson Tatum to earn up to $71.4 million in the 2029-30 season (25 net), while the annual average of the five-year contract signed in recent days stands at just under 63 million. A record figure that could however be beaten as early as next summer by Luka Doncicwhen the Mavericks star will be able to renegotiate a 5-year, $69 million-a-year extension with a maximum payout of $78.8 million. While we wait to find out how much the U.S. league will earn from the renewal of television rights.
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1970-01-01 00:00:00
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