Sport

LeBron James picks up $52.6 million player option with Lakers for next season

As had been rumored for a few weeks now, LeBron James has picked up his $52.6 million player option to return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season. Sunday was the deadline for LeBron to pick up his option.That sounds a lot like LeBron is open to changing teams if he doesn’t like the Lakers’ offseason. LeBron is also the king of passive-aggressive threats to try to get a team to spend money in the offseason.A year from now, LeBron James will be 41 and there is some speculation that this season, his 23rd (while wearing No. 23, and with the All-Star Game in Los Angeles) could be his last. LeBron has said nothing about this yet other than that he and his family need to discuss it. He is far more likely to make that announcement and embark on a farewell tour of sorts, rather than simply decide to walk away, as Tim Duncan did. That said, LeBron is still a top-10 player in the league. Last season he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game, shot 37.6% from beyond the arc, and was named Second Team All-NBA.With Doncic, LeBron and Austin Reaves, the Lakers have a core that can make noise in the Western Conference next season if they have the right depth around them — a rim-protecting center, plus defense and shooting on the wings. Los Angeles won 50 games and finished as the No. 3 seed in the West last season (only to fall to Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs). A similar regular season finish, combined with a better playoff run, is the team’s goal next season, they see themselves as contenders. LeBron has spent the start of his offseason recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, which he suffered in the Lakers’ final playoff game against Minnesota.