LeBron James will be a Los Angeles Laker next year after picking up the final year of his contract ahead of free agency on Sunday. It will pay him $52.6 million for the 2025-26 season, after which he will be a free agent barring another contract extension to stay in the purple and gold.
The decision also came with a warning for the team. After announcing James's intention to play in L.A. next season, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN the superstar expects to compete for a championship and implied the Lakers should be doing everything they can do make that a reality— instead of building for a future around Luka Doncic.
