How much money does he want? The first question LeBron James wants answered is how much money he’s looking for in his next contract. He’s currently under contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers until 2019-20 season. If he were to sign a five year deal worth $200 million, he would have earned about $100 million over the course of those four years. That means he’d make about $25 million per year if he signed a five year deal. However, he could earn even more than that if he signed a longer term deal.
Will he stay in Los Angeles? James’ decision to leave the Miami Heat after their championship run last year was met with mixed reactions. Many fans loved seeing him go, while others wanted him to stay. James said he’ll always love playing in South Florida, but he loves being able to play basketball year round. He’s already been to the NBA Finals twice, and he wants to win three championships before retiring.
What team will he join? If James decides to stay in L.A., then the Lakers are the clear favorite. Not only do they have the best young talent in the league, but they’re also the only team who can offer him a max contract. Other teams like the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks are not going to give him what he wants.
Does he want to play with Kobe Bryant? One of the biggest reasons James left Miami was because he didn’t feel comfortable playing alongside Dwyane Wade. He felt like he had to carry the entire load, and that wasn’t fair to either player. Now that he’s in L.A., he doesn’t have to worry about carrying anyone else. He can focus solely on himself and winning titles.
Is he ready to take less money? James is set to become a free agent at the end of this season. He’s already making $23.9 million this season, and he’s expected to get a raise once he hits free agency. If he takes less money now, he won’t be able to hit the market again until 2020. He might decide to take less money now to ensure he gets maximum value in his next contract.
Who will pay him? There’s no doubt that James is one of the top players in the world today. But some teams may not be willing to spend the money necessary to keep him. The Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs are two teams that could potentially bring him in. Both teams have enough cap space to fit him under the salary cap.
