If LeBron James is going to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers for next season, in all likelihood, he will have to accept some sort of pay cut. He made $52.6 million this season, which was his record 23rd season in the NBA, and all eyes will be on how much money he and his agent, Rich Paul, demand and how much money the Lakers will offer him.
The realities of the league’s very restrictive salary cap, with its suffocating aprons that effectively make it a hard salary cap, make it almost a certainty that James won’t get as much money next season as he’s accustomed to getting from his NBA paychecks. The Lakers are projected to have tens of millions of dollars in salary cap space, but they also have other incumbent players they want to re-sign, starting with rising star Austin Reaves.
Bobby Marks, a former assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets and a salary cap expert for ESPN, listed the best free agents in this year’s class and what he feels would be fair offers for them in a recent article. For James, he suggested a one-year deal at $30 million, along with a no-trade clause.
“Can the Lakers afford to bring back James on a $50 million salary and still be in a position to bolster their roster?” Marks wrote. “When factoring in a new contract for Austin Reaves, that answer is a resounding no.
“Would James compromise to return to L.A.? A $30 million salary would allow the Lakers to re-sign Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura and use the full $15 million non-tax midlevel exception. The Lakers could also act as a cap-space team but without Hachimura and Kennard. They would then have $20 million in room plus the $9.4 million room exception.”
Marks then revealed that L.A. has a big financial advantage over other teams when it comes to securing James’ services.
“As for suitors outside of the Lakers, teams such as Cleveland, Denver, Golden State and New York can offer only the $3.9 million veterans minimum.”
How much will money be a factor for the four-time MVP this summer? He’s still a superstar-level player, as he showed in this year’s playoffs when he averaged 23.2 points a game compared to 20.9 points a game in the regular season, but perhaps he cannot sustain an elite level of play for long stretches as much as he could even a few years ago.
James will have to balance money, giving himself the best chance at winning a fifth NBA championship and off-the-court considerations when he decides which team he will suit up for next season, which could be his last in the league.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Former NBA executive suggests how much Lakers should pay LeBron James
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
