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NBA analyst Jalen Rose has had his say on whether LeBron James should sign a contract extension with the Lakers.
LeBron James is entering the final year of his current deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and is now qualified to sign a two-year extension at about $97 million.
The 37-year-old four-time NBA MVP hasn’t spoken like the team is a lock as his last basketball destination, even though James and his family have developed ties in L.A. since he played with the Lakers in 2018 and made inroads in Hollywood along the way.
In February, the 18-time All-Star expressed interest in a third season with the Cleveland Cavaliers to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
James answered, “The door’s not shut on that. “I’m not promising to return and play; who knows. I have no idea what my future will bring. I even don’t know when I’ll be free.”
He also told Lloyd that he expects to complete his NBA career alongside his eldest son, Bronny James, who becomes eligible for the NBA draught for the first time in 2024.
James remarked, “My final year will be spent with my son. “I’ll be where Bronny is, wherever that may be. I would go to any lengths to spend a year playing with my son. At that moment, it is not about the money.”
The Lakers’ summer has also been somewhat disappointing as they haven’t been able to make any big-ticket signings after a 33-49 season without the playoffs. However, NBA analyst Jalen Rose has revealed his thoughts on LeBron James potentially extending his stay with the Lakers.
“They are aware that he won’t be departing right away. Therefore, it makes no difference what happens to the contract. They are aware of their residence, spouse, and children here,” said Jalen Rose. “We tend to focus on LeBron James the superstar rather than LeBron James the father, the dad, or the person. He might not necessarily want to leave his family behind to play somewhere else.”
The management office’s attempts to restructure the roster around James and Anthony Davis have been impeded by their failure to locate a trade partner for point guard Russell Westbrook.
That does not imply that LeBron won’t sign a two-year extension with the Lakers. That would give him enough time to learn more about Bronny’s NBA prospects without uprooting the family the following summer.
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