{"id":142163,"date":"2025-05-27T14:51:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T18:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=142163"},"modified":"2025-05-27T14:54:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T18:54:32","slug":"shams-lebron-likely-player-option-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/27\/shams-lebron-likely-player-option-lakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Shams: LeBron \u201cLikely\u201d to Pick up Player Option Ahead of June Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LeBron James<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has roughly a month to decide on his fate with the Los Angeles Lakers, but ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania revealed The King\u2019s rumored plan for his looming player option.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Shams: LeBron \u201cLikely\u201d to Pick up Player Option Ahead of June Deadline<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>The Latest on James and the Lakers<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking on \u201cThe Pat McAfee Show\u201d Tuesday, Charania said James is \u201clikely to opt in\u201d to his $53 million player option, with the deadline for his decision falling on June 29.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHe\u2019s got a massive player option. That\u2019s likely, that\u2019s the plan. But again, his option date is June 29, so he still has a month to figure [it] out. There\u2019s gonna be some hard conversations that are gonna happen between him [and] the Lakers, seeing what this team looks like. Because listen, LeBron James, whether he plays one more season or a few more seasons, he wants to be in a competitive environment.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Charania added that James was likely to accept the option because of the massive salary and upcoming flexibility \u201cto figure out, \u2018Do you extend off that number?\u2019 or this is the final year, if this is the last hurrah, essentially.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;I&#39;m told LeBron James is likely to opt in..<\/p>\n<p>He&#39;s got a massive player option and that&#39;s the plan..<\/p>\n<p>He still has about a month to figure that out&quot;<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@ShamsCharania<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PMSLive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#PMSLive<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8mzUsMCU9r\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/8mzUsMCU9r<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PatMcAfeeShow\/status\/1927408747531436156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The NBA\u2019s all-time leading scorer is coming off of an illustrious 22nd campaign. In 70 games, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists on .513\/.376\/.782 splits, <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/lakers\/news\/lebron-james-named-to-2024-25-all-nba-second-team-052325\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">earning All-NBA Second Team honors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for his efforts. He is currently <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/44968991\/lakers-lebron-james-suffered-mcl-sprain-game-5\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">recovering from a sprained MCL<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> he suffered in Game 5 of the first round against the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/27\/timberwolves-falter-game-4-loss\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Timberwolves<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_142175\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-142175\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-142175 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26057662_168402037_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-142175\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><b>Lakers Focused on Adding Center This Offseason<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One factor that could play into LeBron&#8217;s ultimate choice is seeing how the Lakers look next year\u2014whether President and GM Rob Pelinka can bring back a legitimate title contender around him and newfound co-star <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/doncilu01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luka Doncic<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Charania noted how bringing a big man on board is LA\u2019s top priority this summer.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe big question for the Lakers, though, [is] are they gonna find a true center? \u2026 Rob Pelinka, the President\/General Manager, that\u2019s his biggest focus of the offseason. \u2026 This summer, their number one objective is going and getting a center, replenishing their depth on the wings, and seeing how does LeBron James, how [does] Luka Doncic feel about that roster moving forward?\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/27\/2025-nba-draft-lakers-hansen-yang\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lakers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have several ways of addressing the gaping hole in the middle, the most obvious being through trade. The team reportedly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/22\/lakers-trade-rumors-onyeka-okongwu\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">had interest in<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hawks center (and ex-USC Trojan) <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/o\/okongon01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Onyeka Okongwu<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and they could reopen those negotiations in the coming months. <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gaffoda01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daniel Gafford<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/claxtni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nic Claxton<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/poeltja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jakob Poeltl<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have also been <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/hoopshype.com\/lists\/2025-nba-draft-lottery-winners-losers-trade-possibilities\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">linked to the Lakers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recently. All of them are starting-caliber bigs with reasonable salaries LA could match in a deal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining wing depth, meanwhile, should not be much of an issue. <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/f\/finnedo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dorian Finney-Smith<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who joined the Lakers in a December trade, is <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/25198475-how-la-lakers-are-trying-fix-biggest-roster-weakness\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">expected<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to pick up his own $15.4 million player option, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vandeja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jarred Vanderbilt<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who returned midseason following two foot surgeries, is also under contract until 2027, when he has a player option for $13.3 million on the table. The lone question mark comes with <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hachiru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rui Hachimura<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who is on an expiring $18.2 million contract and <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/lakersnation.com\/lakers-rumors-how-likely-is-rui-hachimura-to-get-traded-this-offseason\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">remains in trade rumors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a center.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Last Word<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lakers have major items to check off their to-do list, but the most important is securing LeBron&#8217;s continued commitment to LA. He <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/lakersnation.com\/lakers-news-lebron-james-non-committal-about-future\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">previously said<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> he\u2019ll take his time with this decision, but it seems the choice has grown clearer as the deadline inches closer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LeBron James has roughly a month to decide on his fate with the Los Angeles Lakers, but ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania revealed The King\u2019s rumored plan for his looming player option. Shams: LeBron \u201cLikely\u201d to Pick up Player Option Ahead of June Deadline The Latest on James and the Lakers Speaking on \u201cThe Pat McAfee Show\u201d [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4265,"featured_media":142165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,2,26,62,3],"tags":[1453,2272,2941,38,1133,4581,2830,1749],"class_list":["post-142163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-featured","category-lakers","category-nba","category-news","tag-daniel-gafford","tag-dorian-finney-smith","tag-jarred-vanderbilt","tag-lebron-james","tag-luka-doncic","tag-nic-claxton","tag-onyeka-okongwu","tag-rui-hachimura"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142163"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":142177,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142163\/revisions\/142177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}