“I’m Not Worried About Contracts At This Point In My Career:” Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James Unbothered By Expiring Contract
NBA legend LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018.
James, 40, picked up his 2025-26 player option with the Lakers worth $52.6 million. This is the first time in his Lakers career that The King is playing on an expiring contract, something he told Dave McMenamin of ESPN he’s unbothered by.
“I’m not worried about contracts at this point in my career,” LeBron James said. “That doesn’t bother me at all. Super humbled to even have it, have a contract still and be able to play the game that I love still at this part of my career and take full advantage of it.”
James joined the Lakers in 2018. He led the franchise to the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble.
LAL acquired Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks last season. For the first time in his legendary career, James is not the most important player on his team.
It will be intriguing to see if James retires after this season or chooses to play in 2026-27. The Akron native averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks for the Lakers last season in 70 games. He finished sixth in MVP voting and made the All-NBA Second Team.
“For me, it’s just, am I still excited about the process? Do I still get motivated about the process every single year?” James said. “Preparing my body. Preparing my mind. Working on my body, training, things of that nature, to get ready for a full season.
“I think once I kind of fall out of love with the process, then I’ll know for sure. Then, it’d probably be the end for me.”
The leading scorer in NBA history, James enters this season with career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers. He turns 41 in December.
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