(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers have always been an organization that takes care of its superstars, and that is again the case with LeBron James.
Entering his 22nd NBA season and on the verge of turning 40, many assumed James would have slowed down by now. That is not the case, however, as he is coming off another All-NBA campaign in which he played 71 regular season games for the Lakers. LeBron even shot a career-high 41% from 3-point range in 2023-24.
James had the ability to opt out of his contract this offseason and test free agency, although the Lakers were said to be willing to offer him whatever contract he wanted to stay. He wound up re-signing on a one-plus-one contract slightly below his max number, keeping him in the purple and gold for one or two more seasons.
LeBron then went on to represent his country at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, bringing home the gold and MVP honors for Team USA.
There of course was a risk of James getting hurt at the Olympics, especially while playing at his age. And after inking a brand new contract, perhaps many owners would have been hesitant to let their aging star play in the Olympics.
That was not the case for Jeanie Buss though as she explained why she didn’t have a problem with James playing and why his new contract is a bargain in an interview with Petros and Money on AM 570 LA Sports:
“I think, he’s so competitive, it’s really gotta be something that he wants to do. We always support our players in the decisions that they make in regards to playing for their national team or not. It was something that was important to LeBron and yes, he is our highest-paid player, but he’s still a bargain to me. He’s absolutely amazing. Because we’re a salary cap league, there’s only so much that we can pay him. He brings us the notoriety in the league but also internationally. He’s a huge star and he’s a great leader for this team. What he does for our young players, what he does for the community. We’re proud to be partners with him. It’s the same as Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, because we’re in a capped league, they probably should have been paid twice what they get. But we can only pay him the maximum.”
Buss knows the value that star players bring to the Lakers better than anyone, so it is not surprising to see her take this stance when it comes to James.
As still the biggest star in the league today, and perhaps all of sports, James is worth billions to the Lakers organization because of what he brings both on and off the court.
If the Lakers are going to win another championship though then they will need to provide some more help for James and his co-star Anthony Davis. They have not done that to this point, so it will be interesting to see if he applies any pressure to Buss and the front office to make roster moves down the road.
LeBron James and Jeanie Buss’ relationship is ‘better than ever’
Even though the last few Lakers seasons didn’t end how anybody wanted, LeBron James’ relationship with Jeanie Buss is reported to be ‘better than ever.’
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