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Lakers star LeBron James exercises $52.6M option, returns to Los Angeles
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- Lakers star LeBron James exercises $52.6M option, returns to Los Angeles
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is exercising his player option for the 2025-26 season and will not become a free agent this summer, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN on Sunday, June 29.
James is due to earn $52.6 million next season and has a no-trade clause in his contract.
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"LeBron wants to compete for a championship," Paul told ESPN. "He knows the Lakers are building for the future."
In his 22nd season and at 40 years old in 2024-25, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds and shot 51.3% from the field, 37.6% on 3-pointers and 78.2% on free throws. He made the All-NBA team for a league-record 21st consecutive time.
James could have opted out of the final year of his two-year, $101.3 million contract, entered free agency and signed a three-year, $175.3 million deal or a two-year deal with the Lakers.
He is nearing retirement and has not indicated how many more seasons he has left. He recently said, "I can't play that much further."
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The Lakers acquired star Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 trade deadline and want to make a push for a title with James and Doncic on the roster for an entire season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James contract: Lakers star exercises $52.6 million option
