If he picks it up, he’ll make over $52 million next season.

If he declines, he’ll be a free agent and can sign anywhere. While there would likely be plenty of teams interested, Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report is predicting that James will opt out of his contract only to sign a one-year deal with the Lakers.

“If there was another team that could potentially pursue James, it would be the Golden State Warriors, who previously attempted to trade for the league’s all-time leading scorer at the 2024 trade deadline, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne,” Beaston wrote.

“The Lakers have the best situation for James as playing with Dončić gives him that second megastar he needs to make a legitimate run at a fifth NBA title. He may opt out and see what is out there, but expect the best player of his generation to return to the team for whom he has already won a championship and continue chasing another.”

Will James Take a Pay Cut?

If James does decide to opt-out, that will open a lot of possibilities for the Lakers. Considering that he’s still playing at a very high level, the Lakers would likely give him whatever he wants in terms of contract details.

However, he showed before this season that he’d be willing to take less money if it helps the team. Now, he only took a slight pay cut last offseason but a more significant one could pave the way for the Lakers to make significant roster improvements.

Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel recently revealed that it’s a possibility.

“LeBron will likely opt out of his $50.6 million player option, but he is not expected to leave Los Angeles, league sources told ClutchPoints,” Siegel wrote. “This has been James’ strategy through the years, signing those unique ‘1+1’ contracts which give him and the Lakers flexibility to adjust their cap numbers accordingly.

“Last offseason, James made it clear to Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office that he would be willing to take a slight pay cut if it meant them targeting impactful talents who could increase the team’s championship odds. He will very likely do the same this summer, allowing Los Angeles to add more talent around him and Luka Doncic. Bringing back Jaxson Hayes has also become a priority for the Lakers, along with evaluating an underwhelming pool of frontcourt talent.”

Could James Retire?

While it seems like James has at least one more year left in him, he’s also the oldest player in the NBA right now. It’s possible that if the Lakers win the championship this year, James could decide to go out on a high note.

That said, the allure of being able to catch up to Michael Jordan’s six championship rings would likely prove too strong for James to ignore. In all likelihood, he’ll be playing for at least one more year.