LeBron James Opts In for 23rd NBA Season with Lakers

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00:00LeBron James has opted in to the final year of his deal with the L.A. Lakers, $52.6 million.

00:07LeBron James opting in to the final year of a contract is news for him,

00:12entering the 23rd season of his NBA career. LeBron is 40. He turns 41 in December.

00:20That would be midway through his 23rd NBA season. Nobody has played more. Vince Carter played 22

00:28years. LeBron just finished year 22. When he steps on the floor for year 23, it will be the most

00:35in NBA history. The question, though, DRS, based on some of the wording of this report

00:41from Sham Sharania yesterday in the statement that LeBron's agent and best friend Rich Paul released

00:47to ESPN about LeBron's desire to still compete for a championship nearing the tail end of his career

00:54and trying to apply some pressure on the Lakers to form a championship-caliber roster.

01:00The question is, will he be playing in the purple and gold next season? Might a trade already be in

01:08the works? And finally, DRS, is the 23rd year of LeBron's NBA career the 23rd and final?

01:15I don't think it's the 23rd and final. He's going to keep playing as long as he's healthy,

01:19trying to chase rings. And if you're averaging 20-plus points a season, why would you hang it up

01:23at this point here? But also understand this. I don't think anybody ever thought that LeBron was

01:26opting out of Los Angeles to become a complete free agent here. He opts back in, gets the big

01:31salary, but can still hold their feet to the fire. And hey, you know what? If things aren't going well

01:35by the trade deadline, I'm not under contract next year. I'm not going to sign with you. You might as

01:39well get something for me. But also understand this, too. It's like if LeBron James was smart and said to

01:43myself, you know what? Money's no object anymore. I'm a billionaire at this point. I'm going to opt out of my

01:48contract. I'm going to go to a team here and sign the veteran minimum, like that mid-level

01:52exception for like $5 million, then we can party. Because the one thing that would allow you to do

01:57is that typically doesn't hit against the salary caps. You can go to a team like theoretically,

02:01right, Ben? Let's just say if the Celtics had that mid-level exception, you can join them and

02:05have no salary cap ramifications. But it's not going to do that. It's just not smart business

02:09practices. But also understand this. Like if I'm going to opt in and get traded out, the team you go

02:13to, you're going to have to give up unbelievable amount of assets. It's always like that Carmelo Anthony

02:18effect for Denver. Hey, just wait six months. You'll be in New York in a free agent. No,

02:21I want to go now and gutted the New York franchise while he joined them because he was selfish,

02:26wanted his money, which is definitely your opinion to have if you want to make as much money as you

02:30can. But for LeBron James, it didn't surprise me. Hey, breaking news. He's back with LA. He was

02:35always going to be back with LA. It's the biggest stage you could possibly be on here. He just wants

02:40them to spend around him and try to build. He doesn't want to uproot his family. He's living a great

02:44life in Los Angeles with a good basketball organization, making a ton of money. He just wants to rebuild

02:48there instead.