In Saudi Arabia, the soccer team Al Hilal has offered a record transfer fee of $332 million to Paris Saint-Germain for star Kylian Mbappe. The team has offered Mbappe a reported $770 million.
That offer dwarfs salaries across the NBA, which have become outrageous, and even that of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
James will earn over $53 million this season from the Lakers, and he has a player option for the 2024-25 campaign which, if he exercises it, would mean another $57.6 million. Of course, that’s not including his lifetime contract with Nike, his other endorsements or income from his numerous business ventures.
There is no doubt James loves his money, and he seemed to joke about running off to Saudi Arabia if it were to offer him a humongous deal like the one offered to Mbappe.
Me headed to Saudi when they call @RichPaul4 & @mavcarter for that 1 year deal! ✌🏾🤷🏾♂️😁 pic.twitter.com/IX0VSMZYNb
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 25, 2023
Saudi Arabia is not exactly a basketball heavyweight, so Lakers fans shouldn’t exactly be nervous about the four-time MVP sprinting like Forrest Gump to take his basketball career halfway around the world.
