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LeBron James will be one of the top free agents this summer after he completed his two-year, $101 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, it’s still unclear whether he’ll stay with the Lakers, sign with another NBA team, or retire from basketball altogether.
At 41 years old, James can hang up his sneakers and call it a career because he doesn’t have anything more to prove. But if he does return to play another season, league insider Jake Fischer believes it surely won’t be for the veteran minimum, which is approximately $3.8 million for 2026-27.
“Last Tuesday… I said that there were many people around the league who thought that LeBron should take a veteran minimum salary,” Fischer explained during his latest Bleacher Report livestream. “It does not sound like that is actually in the cards at all. I wanna be very, very clear about that, after some text messages and phone calls I received after sharing that sentiment.
MORE:Bronny James is right about his dad LeBron James amid uncertainty
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
LeBron James has made roughly $581 million in on-court earnings in his 23 NBA campaigns, and his total net worth is more than $1 billion. In the 2025-26 season, he was the Lakers’ second-highest-paid player at $52.6 million.
James is a four-time champion, four-time league MVP, and the league’s all-time leading scorer, so he shouldn’t be treated like a typical role player. Even as the Lakers’ third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, he still performed at an All-Star level, having averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals on 51.5% shooting from the field in 60 regular-season appearances.
For the Lakers, it’s about how badly they want to keep the King. General manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick already said they want James to come back. But with the team planning to offer Reaves a new lucrative extension, James will likely take a minor pay cut to stay in Hollywood.
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At 41 years old, James can hang up his sneakers and call it a career because he doesn’t have anything more to prove. But if he does return to play another season, league insider Jake Fischer believes it surely won’t be for the veteran minimum, which is approximately $3.8 million for 2026-27.
“Last Tuesday… I said that there were many people around the league who thought that LeBron should take a veteran minimum salary,” Fischer explained during his latest Bleacher Report livestream. “It does not sound like that is actually in the cards at all. I wanna be very, very clear about that, after some text messages and phone calls I received after sharing that sentiment.
MORE:Bronny James is right about his dad LeBron James amid uncertainty
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May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
LeBron James has the right not to accept the vet minimum
LeBron James has made roughly $581 million in on-court earnings in his 23 NBA campaigns, and his total net worth is more than $1 billion. In the 2025-26 season, he was the Lakers’ second-highest-paid player at $52.6 million.
James is a four-time champion, four-time league MVP, and the league’s all-time leading scorer, so he shouldn’t be treated like a typical role player. Even as the Lakers’ third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, he still performed at an All-Star level, having averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals on 51.5% shooting from the field in 60 regular-season appearances.
For the Lakers, it’s about how badly they want to keep the King. General manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick already said they want James to come back. But with the team planning to offer Reaves a new lucrative extension, James will likely take a minor pay cut to stay in Hollywood.
Continue reading...
