Lakers Rumors: LeBron James Wasn't Interested in Teams with Cap Space in 2023

LeBron James could remain with the Los Angeles Lakers through the 2024-25 season, reportedly in part because he wasn't particularly interested in the teams he could have signed with over the summer before signing an extension.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, James "looked at the free-agency landscape next summer, who might have cap space, and there was nothing that interested him enough, I'm told, to keep that option open and go into the season on an expiring contract."

Instead, James signed a two-year, $97.1 million extension with the Lakers this summer that includes a player option for the 2024-25 season. He'll earn $44.4 million this season as the final year on his previous deal, $46.6 million in the 2023-24 campaign and $50.4 million in the 2024-25 campaign if he exercises his player option for that year.

If he sees out that contract, it would take him through his age-40 season. As Woj noted, that would make him the first player in NBA history to play in the league as both a teenager and a 40-year-old.

While injuries have played a part in James' tenure in Los Angeles, he continues to play at a high level when he's on the court, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 56 games last season. There's little doubt that he can still headline a contender.

Meanwhile, the majority of the teams expected to have the type of cap space next offseason that would have been needed to sign James are rebuilding squads like the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, among others.

While there is always the possibility that a contender might have been able to clear the cap space needed to bring James aboard, he's guaranteed to pair with Anthony Davis in Los Angeles—and Russell Westbrook's massive salary ($47 million this season) will be off the books, assuming he isn't traded by the team at some point this season.

That should give the Lakers the wiggle room to retool around AD and James and perhaps sign a player like Kyrie Irving to a long-term deal as they gear up for a title run. All in all, signing an extension with the Lakers made the most sense for James.