{"id":15462,"date":"2018-07-01T20:12:38","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T00:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=15462"},"modified":"2018-07-01T20:26:01","modified_gmt":"2018-07-02T00:26:01","slug":"lebron-james-agrees-los-angeles-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2018\/07\/01\/lebron-james-agrees-los-angeles-lakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: LeBron James Agrees to Contract With Los Angeles Lakers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a><\/strong> is, once again, no longer a member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/nba-teams\/cleveland-cavaliers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>. As he did in 2010, James has left Cleveland for greener pastures, though in a much quieter way than the ESPN special that aired on July 8, 2010, titled &#8220;The Decision.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>According to reports, the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to sign James to a contract worth $154 million over four years.<\/p>\n<p>James&#8217; agency, Klutch Sports, broke the news Sunday evening:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"zxx\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zgz8YO7BPn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/zgz8YO7BPn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; KLUTCH Sports Group (@KlutchSports) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KlutchSports\/status\/1013574315411849216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 2, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h1><strong>LeBron James Agrees to Contract With Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>James&#8217; new contract will take him through the end of the 2021-22 season. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShamsCharania\/status\/1013579124743524352\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">According to Shams Charania<\/a> of Yahoo Sports, James can opt out after the third year of the contract, meaning that he can become a free agent again in the summer of 2021.<\/p>\n<p>James finished as the runner-up for MVP last season and made the All-NBA First Team for the 11th straight year. He averaged 27.5 points per game, his highest scoring average since the 2009-10 season\u00a0\u2013 James&#8217; last season in Cleveland before he signed with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/nba-teams\/miami-heat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Miami Heat<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Last season, James played in all 82 regular-season games for the Cavs, who yet again went through turmoil. The team rearranged half its roster at the trade deadline, trading away <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2018\/02\/08\/cavaliers-dwyane-wade-traded-back-miami-heat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">several players<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2018\/02\/08\/jazz-trade-rodney-hood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">acquiring<\/a> new <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2018\/02\/08\/lakers-trade-jordan-clarkson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">role players<\/a>. However, most of Cleveland&#8217;s acquisitions, including <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hoodro01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rodney Hood<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/clarkjo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jordan Clarkson<\/a><\/strong>, were quite disappointing to end the season. Despite the Cavs <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2018\/05\/27\/team-wins-game-7-of-eastern-conference-finals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">making a fourth straight<\/a> NBA Finals appearance\u00a0\u2013 and James&#8217; eight straight Finals, between Cleveland and Miami\u00a0\u2013 James decided that it was again time for him to find a new home.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Difference\u00a0From 2010<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Last time James left town\u00a0\u2013 and his home state of Ohio\u00a0\u2013 he was widely criticized for leaving unfinished business in Cleveland, and for broadcasting his decision in the TV special. But now, James has already delivered the championship that Cavs fans so desperately wanted\u00a0\u2013 he did so in 2016. Most didn&#8217;t and simply <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2017\/06\/21\/nba-finals-loss-not-hurt-lebron-james-legacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>couldn&#8217;t<\/em> blame James<\/a> for Cleveland&#8217;s NBA Finals losses in 2017 and this past June. James performed as well as he could\u00a0\u2013 possibly as well as anyone in the history of the NBA could\u00a0\u2013 but his team just wasn&#8217;t as good as the <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2017\/10\/17\/golden-state-warriors-success-changed-nba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">monstrous<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/nba-teams\/golden-state-warriors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Golden State Warriors<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After the Cavs&#8217; Game 1 overtime loss, during which <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/smithjr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">J.R. Smith<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0stunningly <a href=\"https:\/\/streamable.com\/l266i\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">forgot the score and\u00a0ran out the clock<\/a>\u00a0in a tie game with a few seconds remaining, writer <strong>Shea Serrano<\/strong> of The Ringer summed up how people should react to James signing elsewhere this time around:<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/SheaSerrano\/status\/1002403825318326272?s=19<\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 27px;\">James&#8217; Goals With This Choice<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The consecutive losses to Golden State are precisely why James is leaving again: He wants to win more championships and chase that &#8220;ghost from Chicago&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/2016\/08\/02\/lebron-james-michael-jordan-ghost-cleveland-cavaliers-championship\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">that he talks about<\/a>. With this move, James must believe that L.A. is the best place to do that. With the Lakers,\u00a0James will look to win more titles and take down the Warriors for the first time since they acquired <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duranke01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Durant<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>James will also seek to rest his body and let other stars do some of the heavy lifting. As mentioned above, James played in every regular-season game, along with 22 playoff games. At age 33, he led the league in minutes per game in both the regular season <em>and<\/em> post-season. For much of the playoffs, James had to do everything for the Cavs, as he scored 40 or more points in eight post-season games. He knows that his body won&#8217;t hold up forever, and if he wants to play several more seasons at a high level (and maybe even play with his eldest son someday), he&#8217;ll need to preserve his body. James can only do that with a supporting cast that can survive or even thrive without him, and he clearly thinks he has found that in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>While the Lakers&#8217; current roster is made up mostly of young players, the team has been rumored to be chasing <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/couside01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DeMarcus Cousins<\/a><\/strong> in free agency and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/leonaka01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kawhi Leonard<\/a><\/strong> in trade talks. Though they <a href=\"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/2018\/06\/27\/paul-george-agrees-to-contract\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">missed out<\/a> on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/georgpa01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paul George<\/a><\/strong>, the Lakers must still be thrilled to add James to the fold. He&#8217;ll play in the Western Conference for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Lifestyle Move<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>James is also surely thinking about his family with this decision. His eldest son is going to high school in L.A. next year; James owns two homes in Los Angeles. With his media company, Uninterrupted, James may also be looking to get more involved in Hollywood and prepare for life after basketball. This move will undoubtedly change the NBA landscape for years to come.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"UU6K9waAQm5mZIzc_LkP8g\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/695378542\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'UU6K9waAQm5mZIzc_LkP8g',sig:'CFzmTWNUWbod5_ZvWtYW5X2ZmFPTmEpP3ICLNfCrfaw=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'695378542',caption: true ,tld:'ca',is360: false })});<\/script><script src=\"\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\" async=\"\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Going into his 16th NBA season, superstar LeBron James agrees to a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. James will head to his third NBA destination.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":946,"featured_media":15464,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_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":[26,9,2,62,3],"tags":[65,39,38,152,96,297,202],"class_list":["post-15462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lakers","category-cavaliers","category-featured","category-nba","category-news","tag-basketball","tag-cleveland-cavaliers","tag-lebron-james","tag-los-angeles-lakers","tag-nba","tag-nba-free-agency","tag-nba-news"],"modified_by":"Lior Kozai (Managing Editor)","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15462","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\/946"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15462\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}