CNN
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The dominant storyline this NBA offseason is likely to be where LeBron James will be playing next season.
The 40-year-old picked up his $52 million player option to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN on Sunday.
CNN has reached out to Paul and the Lakers for comment.
Despite being the elder statesmen of the league – he is entering his record-breaking 23rd NBA season – James remains a productive player; over 70 regular season games last campaign, he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists as the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But despite signing on with the Lakers for one more season, where the four-time NBA MVP will be plying his trade remains in doubt.
Speaking to ESPN, James’ agent left the door open to all possibilities.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with (Lakers owner) Jeanie (Buss) and (general manager) Rob (Pelinka) and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
The Lakers will likely undergo a roster shake-up this offseason after their blockbuster acquisition of Luka Dončić midway through last season.
Dončić, 26, offers a chance for the franchise to build for future championships with a younger roster. But such a move could mean that James is surplus to requirements given his age and LA’s push for an injection of younger talent.
According to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, James said at a dinner in New York with friends in the past week that his wife Savannah wants him to “retire in the next year or so.”
Could we see the league’s all-time scoring leader on the move again?
There will likely be plenty of win-now teams who would want James to help them to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy, something the superstar has achieved four times over his storied career.
James – who has a no-trade clause in his contract and, therefore, controls his own destiny (and any potential destination) – turns 41 in December and has been an All-NBA pick in 21 of his 22 seasons in the league. He has appeared in 1,562 regular-season games and could break the record for appearing in the most in NBA history this season as he’s just 49 behind Robert Parish’s mark of 1,611.
James’ one-year extension with the Lakers takes his career on-court earnings to over $580 million.
He had suffered a sprained knee ligament during the Lakers’ final game of last season but has recently returned to on-court activities and told the Associated Press he expects to be ready for training camp.
The question now is: will LeBron suit up in the purple-and-gold or will he be wearing another franchise’s uniform come Opening Night?
