LeBron James contract years are always a good time. Just ask Cleveland Cavalier and Miami Heat fans how these things go. They’re not filled with drama at all, right y’all?
Lakers fans are in for a whirlwind this season. James is entering the last year of his deal and all eyes are on the biggest face in the NBA. He’s extension eligible starting on August 4 and the Lakers will almost certainly offer him a new two-year, $97.1 million extension.
James almost certainly won’t sign it.
Why should he? He’s got all the leverage in the world and he’s got time. He doesn’t need to sign right now and, plus, he’s a billionaire now — he doesn’t need another $100 million from the Lakers.
He wants two things: To play with his son and to play for a championship. To make the latter happen, James is keeping his finger pressed on the scale to push the Lakers into making moves. He wants a Russell Westbrook trade. And if it means sacrificing the Lakers’ last two future draft picks to get it done? He wants to do it. He can force them into that corner by threatening to leave if they don’t. An extension destroys that leverage, which is why he won’t sign it.
But the Lakers still seem steadfast in their unwillingness to completely mortgage their future to grant LeBron’s wishes. So now, this is a pretty expensive game of chicken.
This ends in two ways. On one hand, somebody caves. Either James signs the extension and plays on or the Lakers make the deal.
But on the other hand? This could get ugly. What does ugly look like? A LeBron James trade.
That won’t happen. It can’t. You don’t just trade LeBron James. But if you did? Here are some teams that you might think about calling that could put together some pretty sweet packages for the Lakers forward.
Let’s dive into the chaos.
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