LeBron James will be ineligible to be traded next season

LeBron James is ineligible to be traded during the upcoming 2022-23 season because the second year of his extension exceeds a 5% raise. The Lakers could have north of $20 million in salary-cap space in the 2023 offseason and would have the ability …

LeBron James is ineligible to be traded during the upcoming 2022-23 season because the second year of his extension exceeds a 5% raise. The Lakers could have north of $20 million in salary-cap space in the 2023 offseason and would have the ability to sign a third max contract player in the 2024 offseason. The player options increase salary-cap space if players decline them, and yet remain on new deals.
Source: Adrian Wojnarowski @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Malika Andrews @malika_andrews
Breaking News on NBA Today: LeBron James has agreed to an extension with Lakers. @Adrian Wojnarowski with reporting on contract details, timing and what it means for the Lakers’ roster construction moving forward. pic.twitter.com/IzqbAlyoKJ3:34 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
* @LeBron James is currently 1,325 points behind @Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s 38,387.
If LeBron averages 30.0 ppg (as he did last season), he’d surpass Kareem in his 44th game. If LeBron dips back to 25.0 ppg (his 2020-21 average), he’d surpass Kareem in 53 games. – 3:32 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
When @LeBron James takes the floor for the season opener (Oct. 18 at GSW), he will become just the 10th player ever to play 20 NBA seasons.
He joins: Kobe, Kareem, KG, Dirk, Moses, Vince Carter, Robert Parish, Kevin Willis and Jamal Crawford. – 3:30 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
For the “a trade is coming” crowd based on LeBron extending, I’d assume a Pacers trade is likelier than Kyrie if this is some sort of hint that a deal is imminent. I don’t think that’s the case, but even if it is, Kyrie still feels tied to what happens with KD. – 3:18 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Rockets schedule notes:
– LAC (J. Wall) at Hou, 11/2, 11/14
– OKC (Holmgren) at Hou, 11/26
– ORL (Banchero) at Hou, 12/21
– PHI (Harden, Tucker, House, Morey & probably more😀 ) at Hou, 12/5
– LAL (LeBron) at Hou, 3/15, 4/2
– NO (Zion) at Hou, 3/17, 3/19
@SportsTalk7903:17 PM
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN story on Lakers star LeBron James agreeing on a two-year, $97.1M extension that makes him highest earning player in NBA history. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…3:13 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most guaranteed career earnings (millions):
$532 — LeBron James
$499 — Kevin Durant
$470 — Steph Curry
$450 — Damian Lillard
👑 pic.twitter.com/zOHQLi3Jus3:12 PM

Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
2:57: LeBron extension news drops.
3: Schedule drops.
3:12: DO IT SEAN MARKS. DO IT. – 3:12 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
The Raptors will open the 2022-23 season, the 28th in franchise history, at home vs Cleveland on October 19.
Other key home games:
vs Lowry/Heat: Nov 16, Mar 28
vs DeMar/Bulls: Nov 6, Feb 28
vs Kawhi/Clippers: Dec 27
vs LeBron/Lakers: Dec 7
vs reigning champion Warriors: Dec 18 – 3:10 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
LeBron James stays in LA with the Lakers, at it was expected. He signed a new 2-year deal and that move propably can effect Bronny James. LeBron always said he wants to play with his son before his retirement and that can be in Cali. #LakeShow #JamesGang
sdna.gr/mpasket/994487…3:10 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Bulls basketball is back !
The opener: Oct. 19th at Miami
Home opener vs Cavs on October 22.
Defending NBA Champions, Golden State play at the UC , January 15.
Bulls host Cleveland New Year’s Eve night.
LeBron and the Lakers visit March 26. Bulls- Pistons in Paris Jan. 19 – 3:09 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I guess my question is, what changed for LeBron between Aug. 4 and Aug. 17? He could’ve extended 13 days ago. He didn’t. Maybe this signals a trade is coming, but it doesn’t feel that way. Is there something else here? – 3:08 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
LeBron James and the Lakers have agreed to a two-year contract extension, with a player option for the 2024-25 season, per @Adrian Wojnarowski 💰 pic.twitter.com/LpTPs0ejua3:08 PM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
LeBron’s decision to sign an extension with LA will end speculation about his immediate future, eliminating what could have been a potential distraction in the Lakers season. Focus now entirely on making this revamped roster work. – 3:07 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
LeBron stealing the spotlight from the NBA schedule dropping. Never forget whose league it still is, kids. AK – 3:07 PM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
LeBron James, at his current scoring pace, could pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sometime around mid-January for the all-time NBA points lead — assuming he doesn’t miss games (or isn’t weighed down by $97 million more in his pockets.) – 3:06 PM
Josh Newman @Joshua_Newman
LeBron James: Perennially underpaid. – 3:06 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
LeBron extending with the Lakers is massive on a couple of fronts. One, obviously, is him tying himself to the Lakers. Another is that this takes a big potential way for the Lakers to re-tool – him taking less money, like Harden did this summer – off the board. – 3:05 PM
Adi Joseph @AdiJoseph
LeBron James, extended:
L e B r o n J a m e s – 3:04 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
King James in year 19:
30.3 PPG
8.2 RPG
6.2 APG
1.3 BPG
97 million. pic.twitter.com/qeXELEJidZ3:01 PM

Sean Highkin @highkin
LeBron’s new extension means he can opt out after Bronny’s freshman season… – 2:58 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
lol, LeBron would – 2:58 PM
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The two-year, $97.1M extension, which includes a 15 percent trade kicker, makes LeBron James the highest earning player in NBA history with $532M in guaranteed money. He surpasses Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/UUHMspiKZp2:58 PM

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Sources: Four-time NBA champion LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, taking him under contract through 2024-25 season. – 2:57 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most PPG+APG last season:
38.1 — Trae
37.2 — Luka
36.5 — LeBron
@NBAMuse24 pic.twitter.com/dXn0HNeU1x2:04 PM

Mark Haynes @markhaynesnba
Sources: The Sacramento Kings will face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2022-23 season on these four dates:
Nov. 11 at Los Angeles
Dec. 21 at Sacramento
Jan. 7 at Sacramento
Jan. 18 at Los Angeles – 11:58 AM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
LeBron James shuts down rumors linking Bronny James to Oregon.
zagsblog.com/2022/08/17/leb…9:28 AM
Josh Martin @Bulls_Wire
In a video with Uninterrupted, Lonzo Ball revealed the best advice ever given to him but former teammate LeBron James. bullswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/11/lon…4:00 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
The #Nets will play at LeBron James and the #Lakers on Nov. 13 on ESPN, according to a league source. – 3:55 PM

More on this storyline

 

Bobby Marks: Despite meeting the no trade criteria (8 years in the NBA and 4 with LA), James was not allowed to include a no trade clause. In his previous extension, James did not have a no trade (he wasn’t allowed to at the time) and was prohibited from including it in his new contract. -via Twitter @BobbyMarks42 / August 17, 2022
Jorge Sierra: By the time his contract comes to an end, LeBron James will have made $532 million on NBA salaries alone. That’s roughly the same as Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade combined. -via Twitter @hoopshype / August 17, 2022
Adrian Wojnarowski. BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has agreed on a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension – including a player option for the 2024-2025 season, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. James had been entering final year of deal worth $44.5M. -via Twitter @wojespn / August 17, 2022