It reportedly isn’t off the table that LeBron James takes a pay cut with the Lakers if the team is able to land the right piece.
After opting-out of the final year of his contract, the Lakers superstar’s representation shared that James’ focus is on “roster improvement.”
“He is prioritizing roster improvement. He’s been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster,” his agent Rich Paul said.
Paul added that LeBron would be willing to work with the Lakers on a contract lower than the three-year, $162 million max he’s eligible for and that he’d even consider signing the full mid-level exception if LA can recruit an “impact player.”
Per ESPN.com, Paul name dropped veteran players like James Harden, Klay Thompson and Jonas Valanciunas as guys LeBron would be willing to sacrifice for.
Outside of that caliber of player though, James will almost assuredly push for a max extension to remain with the Lake Show.
Lakers co-star Anthony Davis says he isn’t sweating whatever conclusion the King comes to. Saying earlier this week:
I’m just respecting his space. I know we’ll be together all summer and I know if he decides to do something — whether stay with the Lakers, opt in or opt out and re-sign or opt out and choose a different path, I know he’ll tell me before he makes any [official] decision just because we have that relationship. So I’m pretty sure I’ll know before anybody else besides, like, his family and Rich [Paul].
The final year of James’ contract would’ve paid the 20-time All-Star $51.4 million next season.
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