LeBron James Can Solidify Lakers Legacy After New Contract, Says Rob Pelinka

LeBron James has already attained legendary status with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, and his No. 23 jersey might be hanging in the rafters of Staples Center when all is said and done.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday they signed James to an extension. In the press release, general manager Rob Pelinka emphasized how the four-time MVP is inserting himself among the franchise's best players.

"LeBron James is a transcendent basketball player, and human being," Pelinka said. "LeBron put his trust in the Lakers in 2018, and now this contract extension paves the way for LeBron to further solidify his legacy as an all-time Lakers great. We could not be more honored by this commitment."

Not all Lakers fans welcomed James with open arms when he arrived in 2018, with multiple murals featuring the future Hall of Famer getting defaced in Los Angeles. His first season with the team didn't go according to plan, either, as he was limited to 55 games and the Lakers missed the playoffs.

Now, that animosity from a vocal minority feels like a lifetime ago. Winning an NBA championship will do that.

James was also stabilizing figure on the court in the wake of Kobe Bryant's death in January. The 35-year-old was handed the unenviable task of speaking to fans in the arena prior to the Lakers' game back on Jan. 31.

Given how well James continues to play, it's impossible to say when he'll eventually retire. At a time when players are generally declining to a noticeable degree, he finished runner-up in the NBA MVP voting.

It looks as though LeBron will remain in L.A. for whatever's left of his career. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports confirmed to ESPN's Dave McMenamin that James is getting a two-year, $85 million extension. That will take him through 2022-23, which will be his 20th season in the league and fifth with the Lakers.

The latter would match the amount of time Wilt Chamberlain spent in Los Angeles, and the franchise retired his No. 13 jersey.

James won't have spent the majority of his career on the West Coast, nor will his best years have come in L.A. But he's well on his way to being a Lakers legend nonetheless.