LeBron James made his choice. He opted into his $52.6 million contract for the 2025–26 season, securing the money he has absolutely earned over two decades of excellence. In doing so, he may have made the Lakers’ next move inevitable.
Dan Woike, on The Zach Lowe Show, said it plainly, “LeBron doesn’t take less money.” It is not in his history, and it was not in the cards this summer. That is his right.
A pay cut is a touchy subject for LeBron
There is no doubt that James is still performing at a ridiculously high level.