LeBron James' strategic moves: Will his $51.4 million player option impact the NBA
By: Jackie Rae
As far as basketball legends go, none could have foreseen the future quite like LeBron James, who famously turned down a $10 million shoe deal at just 18 years old.
On an episode of Uninterrupted, James reminisced about the moment, saying, “I flew in from Akron, Ohio, from Spring Hill, from the projects. Our rent is like $17 a month, and now I’m looking at a $10 million check.”
Reebok's former chairman and CEO Paul Fireman offered the budding star the deal on one condition — that James wouldn’t speak with Nike or Adidas. As he declined and left the room, King James explained his reasoning. “If this guy is willing to give me a $10 million check right now, what’s to say that Nike or Adidas is not willing to give me $20 or $30 [million] upfront — or to say that maybe the upfront money is not even the biggest thing. Maybe let’s start thinking about the back-end.”
If I had to guess, "thinking about the back-end" is what led to the oldest player in the league to having a player option worth $51.4 million at his disposal six months before he turns 40.
I don’t know too many people who are bigger King Goat James fans than I am. Yes, that is how I refer to him, so let’s continue. But even in my fandom, I was very skeptical of this deal. Yes, the King is still playing at a high level. Yes, he is continuing to break records. But Father Time is undefeated, and the days of LeBron carrying a team on his back into the finals are gone.
Especially with the Lakers, who have consistently failed to allow a team to grow. Instead, they try to mix and match pieces to find the right fit to win right now. That is never going to work with an aging goat and a player like Anthony Davis, whose injuries keep him from living up to his full potential.
So why would a team like the Lakers make a deal with James when they would have to know the option would impact their ability to build?
The answer probably comes in two parts. One, no matter how old LeBron James is or how far the Lakers fall out of contention, King James will always put butts in the seats. The man is a walking legacy. At 39, his ability to play at a high level defies the odds. And even haters love to see him in person to try and poke holes in his armor. From a financial side, LeBron’s name alone will make the deal worth it.
Second, it's safe to assume his 18-year-old mind has evolved and now thinks ahead and makes demands that align with his vision. Sure, the Lakers have options, but they are limited. The only teams with enough cash to even consider picking up James’ option are the Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, and Orland Magic.
OKC is at the top of the Western Conference, so there is no need to shake things up on that roster. Joel Embiid is the focal point for the 76ers, so it would be foolish to disrupt that. They need young talent to complement Embiid, not an aging talent that will steal his thunder.
So, like it or not, the Lakers will have LeBron for another season. Although the Lakers could trade him, that would cost them an additional 15%, which is another 7.5 million. King James knew that, so the ball is entirely in his court.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the off-season. Ham is undoubtedly gone, and the Lakers must upgrade their roster. As with every single decision made thus far in his career, LeBron James will certainly have a hand in that as well.
But what kind of ramifications will this deal for an aging player have on the NBA. None. The likelihood that we ever see anyone who can play as long as LeBron and at a high level is slim to none. So, as I say time and time again….
All Hail King James!