[Shams/Woj] LeBron James to sign a 2-year, $104 million max deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Deal includes NTC.

[Wingy]

I'm confused on why folks are blaming him for not turning down a max contract? Or is this just common Bron Realgm hate?

I think the thing people can gripe about is all the stories that get pushed out that ‘oh Lebron will take less to help the team,’ but then quickly right after a new report rolls out that he’s getting a max. Sounds like taking less is still in play though, so we’ll see.

[Effigy]

Lebron destroyed the lakers the last few years. Team is being ran by Lebron and friends as owners. The laughing stock of the league

What's funny is that all the Lakers got from him in exchange for giving up complete control of the franchise to him was a bubble championship that no one even takes seriously or respects

Personally I have no idea why people try to undermine the bubble title. But then again, I thought the same thing when Phil Jackson as the Lakers HC did the same for the Spurs' lockout-shortened title, so it is a little fitting.

[PierceFan4ever]

Lebron destroyed the lakers the last few years. Team is being ran by Lebron and friends as owners. The laughing stock of the league

What's funny is that all the Lakers got from him in exchange for giving up complete control of the franchise to him was a bubble championship that no one even takes seriously or respects

It’s not the lakers fault but man winning a championship with no crowd, no parade, no big celebration is kind of rough if you were a fan of the team. Don’t get me wrong, I would take it any day but damn no memorable moments because of an empty ass stadium at a time where nobody really cared about sports.

[Bobbymcgee]

LeBron just milking the Lakers at this point.

[SkyBill40]

Only a 2 year deal? That's a surprise. I thought it would be 3. Do we think he retires at the end of this deal?

I would expect so unless there's some other record or ghost of Jordan he find that he must absolutely chase.

Sent from my SM-F936U using RealGM mobile app

[infinite11285]

LeBron just milking the Lakers at this point.

He was eligible for a 3-year, $160M deal.

[Papi_swav]

didn't he say he was taking a pay cut?

[MrTribbiani]

LeBron just milking the Lakers at this point.

He's still an All-NBA level player.

Did you watch any games last season?

[Ssj16]

Sad to see him give up on winning. I’ll never understand his obsession with the Lakers. Awful organization from top to bottom.

Best team in the West

I applaud your optimism.

"We who are about to die, salute you!" ~ Lakers fans for the 24/25 season.

[One Last Shot]

oh sorry you can read the future when he makes an All NBA team on that contract?

please think before you hit that submit button

lol wtf. So you respect him less because you believe he won’t make an All-NBA team? Despite the fact that he was a clear All-NBA player this year and indeed has made All-NBA 19 straight times?

Your logic boils down to “I don’t respect him because I don’t respect him”, trying to use your own predictions as “evidence”. What am I missing here?

yes my logic flawed when I expect the 40 year old NBA player who has already shown signs of decline to continue to decline

sure declining LeBron played 41 minutes per game last playoffs and averaged 27.8 ppg, 8.8 apg, 6.8 apg, 2.4 spg, 1.0 bpg in 63.7 TS%. You got the same the energy as the tweet below, maybe his haters will be right this time around in his 22nd season.

Read on Twitter

[Ssj16]

Sad to see him give up on winning. I’ll never understand his obsession with the Lakers. Awful organization from top to bottom.

Best team in the West

I applaud your optimism.

"We who are about to die, salute you!" ~ Lakers fans for the 24/25 season.

[Vintage]

How many of you would be willing to take a pay cut for your employer?

It’s easy to criticize him because he has money all of us can only dream of - multi generational wealth. I get that. But part of it is a respect factor, I’d imagine - in wanting to get the max if the attempts to improve the team didn’t bear any fruit. Why take a pay cut in that scenario?

He’s going to go down as one of the greatest of all time. Owns records. Won championships. His legacy is cemented.

I’m sure he wanted to go out on a contending team…. But given that is unlikely, I’m sure going out playing alongside your son is not a consolation prize. As a father, I can even understand that taking more priority over winning another championship.

I don’t get the “bad guy” rep he is getting here…. He wants to play with his son. He probably forced the issue. So? You wouldn’t desire that if you were in his shoes?

And I’m not even a LBJ fan. I’ve “disliked” him the moment Cleveland won the lottery. It’s nothing against him, personally (I don’t know him) or professionally (he’s an all time great). It simply was because of him going to a division rival.

But I can set that aside and look at the whole picture. He’s not been involved in scandals. He gives back to communities. By all accounts, he’s a good person.

So, he’s acted like a father? So, what?

[hippesthippo]

This wouldn't be the smartest move from Lebron. He should just take as much money as he can possibly make and call it a day. He shouldn't help them on preventing them from being a 2nd tax apron team. It's clear that they're next trade they will do will involve AD. Nobody wants the garbage that the Lakers have.

Read on Twitter

Lmao at Pelinka not even realizing that it would put them into the 2nd apron.

[___Rand___]

This wouldn't be the smartest move from Lebron. He should just take as much money as he can possibly make and call it a day. He shouldn't help them on preventing them from being a 2nd tax apron team. It's clear that they're next trade they will do will involve AD. Nobody wants the garbage that the Lakers have.

Read on Twitter

Yo! this is the bigger issue! How is a play-in team over the second apron? Who's gonna get cut?

Those contracts would still be on the books regardless if they were to waived or not. They would have to attach draft capital to get rid of these contracts. But refusing to do that would mean having being a 2nd tax apron team that has a absolute ceiling of being a play -in team, which is quite problematic in itself considering that other 2nd tax apron teams have atleast a chance of making a deep playoff run and the penalties that come with it are severe. Safe to say that the Lakers Front office have really screwed that team up for both the short and long term.

This is utterly ridiculous. This lakers' strategy reminds me of Toronto Maple Leafs from 80s and 90s and 00s - get big name players on roster, forget about draft and development, forget about doing well in playoffs, as long as seats are filled it don't matter.

[Dominator83]

Actually surprised it's only 2 not 3

[therealbig3]

LeBron led them to a championship, their first one in a decade. As far as I’m concerned, he can do no wrong in LA, because where would they be without him? After they won in 2010, they lost in the 2nd round, 2nd round, and 1st round. Then they were god awful for the next 5 years until LeBron showed up. Win a title and make the playoffs 4/6 years, including a WCF run. lol LeBron saved the Lakers.

And he was injured both years they missed the playoffs. And the year after their title, they lost to the Suns after AD got hurt, who knows what happens if AD could stay healthy?

Just saying, health has been their biggest issue with LeBron. They’re a good team when healthy.

[jkvonny]

LeBron very smart, savvy.
Used up the biggest market Lakers and hes part time GM.
Could have left for a better team, contender to finish off his career, but staying with a team on a decline. And with his son!

Wow! lots of money
That James family bloodline is multiple generations deep in wealth now.
Multi Generational wealth.

Downside is that the Lakers are cash strapped for years to come.
When AD and LeBron leave, back to the lottery yrs for LAL .

[Stannis]

Lebron destroyed the lakers the last few years. Team is being ran by Lebron and friends as owners. The laughing stock of the league

What's funny is that all the Lakers got from him in exchange for giving up complete control of the franchise to him was a bubble championship that no one even takes seriously or respects

Eh. It's still a banner and will go down in the history books.

Lakers were always struggling since Kobe's last chip.

1 ring in 6 years is far from a "laughing stock".

[Stannis]

LeBron just milking the Lakers at this point.

Maybe they are milking each other?

LeBron still brings in revenue. If he's gone, what do the Lakers have?

Pelicans have the right to swap the 2023 pick. 2024 or 2025 is owned by the Pelicans. So you can't really sell a rebuild to fans and viewers this year or next.

LeBron + AD still keeps the Lakers relevant. He won't attract other stars + ring chasers like he used to. But it gives them 2 more years to wait out the Pelican picks/pick swaps.

[Stannis]

Actually surprised it's only 2 not 3

Same. I thought it would have been better (for the Lakers) if it was 3. Pelicans still have the Laker picks for the next 3 seasons.