Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, which gives them the clarity they need to move forward.

Whether that future includes Russell Westbrook for the upcoming 2022-23 season remains to be seen. But James will now be under contract through at least 2023-24, which could open the door for the Lakers to make major changes to their roster.

How Much Money?

A veteran like James typically can extend for 20 percent more than his previous salary ($44.5 million), which would come out to $53.4 million. However, that's well over the projected maximum salary for the 2023-24 season ($46.6 million).

Instead, James will be limited to $46.7 million (a 5 percent raise over his 2022-23 salary), though the exact figure won't be determined until the 2023-24 salary cap is set next June. James could earn as much as $47.6 million if the cap climbs higher than the current $133 million projection.

James also has a player option worth nearly $51 million for 2024-25 that perfectly aligns with Anthony Davis' $43.2 million early termination option.

With no one else currently under contract for that season, the Lakers might prioritize keeping their books clean for July 2024 in case both James and Davis depart. They could also go all-in on a three-year run in the hope that James and Davis finish out their respective deals.

The Lakers could then target starting over clean in 2025, when the NBA's next national television deal might reshape the league's economy.

Potential Cap Room in 2023

The Lakers have been fiercely protective of their financial flexibility while waiting for James to sign his extension. Lonnie Walker IV, their most significant offseason acquisition, is on a one-year, $6.5 million deal. They signed only second-round pick Max Christie ($1.7 million) and veteran Damian Jones ($2.6 million player option) through the 2023-24 campaign.

The Lakers could get up to $20.1 million in cap space next summer if the cap does land at $133 million and Talen Horton-Tucker picks up his $11 million player option for the 2023-24 season. That figure could jump to $31.5 million if both Horton-Tucker and Jones opt out.

If the Lakers do go the cap-space route, they'll also have the $5.8 million room mid-level exception. If they elect to stay over the cap by re-signing players such as Austin Reaves, Stanley Johnson, Kendrick Nunn, Thomas Bryant or Juan Toscano-Anderson, they would have access to the non-taxpayer mid-level ($11.3 million) and bi-annual ($4.4 million) exceptions as long as they stay below the $168 million luxury-tax apron.

Maximum salaries next summer are projected to range from $33.3 million to $46.6 million.

Prioritizing cap space would also make the Lakers unlikely to take on additional salary via trade, which could limit their options with regard to moving Westbrook.

What's Next for Westbrook?

Per several sources connected to teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers have not been willing to part with significant draft capital to get off Westbrook's contract. But that may have been tied to uncertainty surrounding James' future, which is now put to rest.

The sense from those sources: Westbrook will have a new home when the Lakers green-light trades that include both their 2027 and 2029 first-rounders. What's still unclear is whether L.A. will be willing to do so.

If the Lakers decide to go all-in on building a contender around James and Davis for the next few seasons, holding out for the uncertainty of cap space in 2023 wouldn't be pragmatic. Instead, they should seek a team looking to get out of multiyear commitments for Westbrook and draft compensation.

After trading All-Star center Rudy Gobert, the Utah Jazz appear to be heading into a rebuild. They might be open to taking on picks and Westbrook's salary for players like Mike Conley (partially guaranteed for 2023-24), Malik Beasley (team option), Jordan Clarkson (player option) and Rudy Gay (player option). Patrick Beverley and Bojan Bogdanovic, who are in the final years of their respective deals, could be especially appealing to the Lakers.

The Spurs have enough cap space to make an unbalanced trade for Westbrook, but they might want the Lakers to take on Doug McDermott's $13.8 million salary for 2023-24. Josh Richardson, who's on a $12.2 million expiring contract, could also be available.

The Lakers have explored runs at Nets point guard Kyrie Irving ($36.9 million expiring contract), but it's unclear if Brooklyn would want to include Joe Harris' $19.9 million salary for 2023-24 as well. The Pacers have Buddy Hield, a former client of Lakers executive Rob Pelinka, at $18.6-23.3 million for next season (depending on incentives). Los Angeles has also explored a deal for Pacers center Myles Turner with the expectation that he would extend or re-sign beyond his current $17.5-20 million salary for 2022-23.

It's unclear if the Lakers would be willing to take on players who are under contract beyond 2024-25, like Julius Randle of the New York Knicks or Terry Rozier of the Charlotte Hornets.

Bronny

James' decision about whether to pick up his player option in 2024-25 could depend on his son, Bronny James, who projects to be draft-eligible in 2024.

The Lakers owe a first-round pick that year to the New Orleans Pelicans, though New Orleans can defer the selection to 2025. They also won't have their second-rounder.

L.A. does have the higher second-round pick between the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies, but will that be high enough to land Bronny should he decide to declare?

If the Lakers hope to keep James beyond 2023-24, finding a way to get Bronny in the draft could be the key.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @EricPincus.

The Los Angeles Lakers are breathing a sigh of relief after LeBron James agreed to a contract extension Wednesday.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that James will sign a two-year, $97.1 million extension with a player option for 2024-25.

James became eligible for a two-year deal with the Lakers on Aug. 4.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Aug. 9 that James, Paul, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and general manager Rob Pelinka had an hourlong meeting to discuss "concerns, and hearing out strategies and opinions to assure there wouldn't be a repeat of last season's epic failure" in Los Angeles.

Whatever came out of that meeting seemed to resonate with James enough to get him to re-sign.

Here are some instant takes about James deciding to stay in Los Angeles.

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LeBron Was Never Leaving Los Angeles

Of course, this was the end result for James and the Lakers. There were some questions from outsiders that the four-time NBA MVP might look to find a new franchise after things went so awry last season.

Back in April, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype laid out some valid reasons James wouldn't necessarily agree to an extension with the Lakers when he became eligible to do so:

"My guess is he does not extend with the Lakers for a couple of reasons. One, he can sign it up until June 30, 2023. Two, he might want to keep the pressure on the Lakers organization after the season they just had. Three, he's LeBron James. As long as he's playing at this level next year, a max contract will be available to him."

While that is a rational take, it fails to account for the fact that there was nothing rational about James' original decision to sign with the Lakers.

Let's rewind the clocks to July 2018, after James opted out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers to become an unrestricted free agent. The future Hall of Famer signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Lakers.

At the time, Los Angeles was coming off five consecutive losing seasons. The franchise didn't have a budding young superstar at that point, like the Cleveland Cavaliers did with Kyrie Irving when James returned to the franchise in the summer of 2014.

Brandon Ingram was a promising 20-year-old at the time. Lonzo Ball was still searching for a consistent jumper in the NBA. Kyle Kuzma was an effective scorer but didn't look like an impact player.

(Ingram and Ball were traded to the New Orleans Pelicans after the 2018-19 season as part of the Anthony Davis deal. Kuzma was traded to the Washington Wizards in August 2021 as part of the package for Russell Westbrook.)

There was no basketball reason for James to join the Lakers when he did. He was entering the twilight era of his playing career, and he has been making a series of business moves in Los Angeles.

James got his first starring role in a movie last year with the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy. He sold a minority stake in his production company, SpringHill Company, last year to bring its valuation to $725 million.

Los Angeles seems to be where James wants to be for his business ventures and family. (Bronny James is entering his senior year at Sierra Canyon High School.) The Lakers just happened to benefit by being the historic franchise that plays basketball in the city to entice James to sign with them.

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James' New Deal Doesn't Mean a Westbrook Trade Is Imminent

Even before Lakers fans had to worry about James' contract status, they were paying attention to Westbrook's status as a member of the franchise.

There has certainly been a lot of speculation that a Westbrook-for-Irving trade could be in play. Sam Amico of Hoops Wire poured cold water on that in June with a report that the Brooklyn Nets have "no interest in Westbrook at all" even if he happened to get bought out by the Lakers.

Haynes noted the meeting between James and Lakers brass did lead to Ham laying out his vision for what the team needs to do to be competitive in the upcoming season:

"He voiced that defensive tenacity needs to be picked up all across the roster and also forewarned that players would have to play new roles and if he sensed reluctance, he wouldn't hesitate to remove them from the game, sources said."

Haynes noted the Lakers are "hopeful" Westbrook can improve his corner three-point shooting in 2022-23. He also added that Pelinka stressed "patience" will be key for any potential trades they might make.

Per Cleaning the Glass (h/t CBS Sports' Brad Botkin), Westbrook actually made 44 percent of his corner threes in 2021-22 and 41 percent in his lone season with the Wizards.

If the Lakers are hoping for Westbrook to improve one aspect of his performance, it seems to be an indication they are anticipating entering this season with him on the roster.

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This Is a Bet on Anthony Davis

In order for the Lakers to reach their ultimate ceiling, they need James and Davis to be the players they were during the 2019-20 season.

That's certainly a high bar to clear because the Lakers won the NBA title in the first season with James and Davis playing together. Their roster was much better at that time, with Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso playing valuable minutes.

Davis' performance in the bubble during the Lakers' playoff run is unlikely to be replicated. He shot 38.3 percent from behind the arc in 21 postseason games. The 29-year-old has only made 28.6 percent of his three-point attempts in three seasons with Los Angeles.

The main problem for Davis over the past two seasons has been availability. He's only appeared in 76 out of a possible 154 regular-season games since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

Durability has been an issue for Davis throughout his career. The eight-time All-Star has only reached the 70-game mark in the regular season twice in 10 years.

According to Haynes, Ham said during the meeting he intends to "implement and stick with" the offense running through Davis, and James "concurred" with his coach.

It's a dangerous proposition because of how unreliable Davis' availability has been, but any serious injury he might suffer would derail their hopes for the 2022-23 season anyway.

The Lakers are 30-19 in the past two seasons with Davis and James in the lineup together. Their record drops to 45-60 during that span when at least one of them doesn't play.

LeBron James has made it no secret he wants to finish his career playing alongside his son Bronny.

Now that the elder James has inked a new two-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, is the dream of a #JamesGang linkup over?

Nope. Not in the slightest.

James' agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that LeBron's extension comes with a player option for the 2024-25 season. The deal is essentially a one-year extension that gives James the option of remaining with the Lakers if he so chooses.

What's important about the 2024-25 season, you ask? Well, that's the first year Bronny James will be eligible to play in the NBA.

From a practical standpoint, nothing changes. James was almost certainly not going to leave the Lakers until the 2024 offseason, anyway. He's linked himself and his Lakers tenure to fellow Klutch client Anthony Davis, whose contract also carries a player option for the 2024-25 season.

Wojnarowski's report also makes a salient point about the Lakers' current cap situation. If the Lakers don't take on any more long-term salaries on their books beyond the 2023-24 season, they could have the space to add a third max contract with James and Davis. The Lakers are currently projected to have around $20 million in cap space next summer, so it would take some level of patience from the front office to keep that third max slot available.

Breaking News on NBA Today: LeBron James has agreed to an extension with Lakers. @wojespn with reporting on contract details, timing and what it means for the Lakers’ roster construction moving forward. pic.twitter.com/IzqbAlyoKJ

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) August 17, 2022

That said, the fact James and Davis both have player options for the 2024-25 season is not an accident.

As far as Bronny James' situation goes, it's nearly impossible to look two years into the crystal ball and see where his basketball future lies. He's currently the No. 49 player in the 2023 high school class, per 247Sports. If he were anyone other than LeBron James' son, it's unlikely there would be much talk of him being a one-and-done talent.

Being the son of LeBron is a gift and a curse in this sense. Even if Bronny were to struggle in his post-high school career, there's little doubt he'd get a chance to at least sign on with an NBA team for training camp. This is a league, after all, that has signed LiAngelo Ball and Chris Smith in the past; relationships carry weight.

Whatever version of LeBron James that exists as he approaches age 40 in 2024 will have enough sway to get Bronny in the door of an NBA franchise — even if it's just for a cameo appearance.

On the other hand, if Bronny ascends to stardom over the next two years, the level of power LeBron can exert diminishes. A team that wants to draft Bronny isn't going to pass him over simply because they play in a market that does not appeal to an aging LeBron.

But as for what impact the new extension has on Bronny's future, the answer is none at all. That will be determined over the next 22 or so months.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James agreed to a contract extension Wednesday that will fatten his pockets.

James' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the 37-year-old has signed a two-year, $97.1 million deal that includes a player option for the 2024-25 season. James is making $44.5 million this season in the final year of his previous contract.

Per Wojnarowski, James' deal could reach up to $111 million if the 2023-24 salary cap "rises to a substantially higher number." Per Spotrac, James is scheduled to make $46.7 million in the first year of his extension and $50.4 million in 2024-25.

This season, Spotrac calculates the Lakers to have total salary of $183.5 million, putting the team $59.8 million over the cap. Including James, Los Angeles only has eight players under contract for 2023-24, three of whom are on training camp/Exhibit 10 deals. When factoring in James' extension, the Lakers are projected to have a maximum possible salary-cap space of $31.9 million next year.

A four-time NBA champion, James will hope to lead Los Angeles back to prominence after helping the team win an NBA title in 2020. The Lakers had a disappointing campaign in 2021-22, finishing with a 33-49 record and falling short of the postseason. James missed 26 games while dealing with injuries throughout the year.

If the Lakers can stay healthy this season, they should establish themselves as contenders in the Western Conference.

Under new head coach Darvin Ham, Los Angeles is expected to improve on defense and solve its chemistry issues. James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are entering their second year together, and they reportedly are committed to one another after they came to an understanding earlier this offseason.

With James in the fold for the next three seasons (if he exercises his option for 2024-25), the Lakers will look to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy at least one more time before the greatest player of his generation calls it a career.

A two-time champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend will be honored with a jersey retirement this season.

The Lakers announced they will "raise Pau Gasol's jersey into the rafters" ahead of their March 7 game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Doing it against the Grizzlies was a fitting touch since the big man played the first six-plus seasons for the team before he was traded to Los Angeles.

A Champion, legend, and forever part of the Lakers Family.

3/7/23 - We raise Pau Gasol's jersey into the rafters pic.twitter.com/F9snGrHO9o

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 17, 2022

Gasol played for the Grizzlies, Lakers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks from 2001-02 until 2018-19 and finished his career with a resume that included two championships, a Rookie of the Year, four All-NBA selections and six All-Star Game nods.

He had already been an All-Star and averaged better than 20 points a night in back-to-back seasons when the Lakers acquired him during the 2007-08 campaign, but playing for a championship contender in Los Angeles gave him a bigger stage to show off his game.

The Spaniard played for the Purple and Gold through the 2013-14 season and averaged 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the field during that time.

Gasol was part of a one-two punch with the legendary Kobe Bryant on the Lakers teams that won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. They cruised past the Orlando Magic in five games for that first title and needed the full seven games to outlast the Boston Celtics for the second one.

It was a revenge showing after Boston defeated Los Angeles in the 2008 NBA Finals.

Gasol was brilliant during the Finals win over the Celtics and posted a double-double of 19 points and 18 rebounds in the decisive Game 7. It was his fifth double-double of the series after he double-doubled in three of the five games while battling Dwight Howard down low in the 2009 Finals.

Those performances with championships hanging in the balance alone made him a Lakers legend, but he has also remained a notable presence in the lives of Bryant's daughters after Kobe died in a 2020 helicopter crash.

Now Gasol's jersey will join his former teammate's jerseys in the rafters honoring Lakers greats.

LeBron James will be a member of the Los Angeles Lakers through at least the 2023-24 season.

James' agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the King agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Purple and Gold that includes a player option for the 2024-25 campaign.

It also may be worth up to $111 million if the salary cap increases.

James signing with the Lakers inspired plenty of reaction on social media:

Bron got PAID pic.twitter.com/RXBjhKZX7U

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) August 17, 2022

https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1559977907002478597

LeBron right now pic.twitter.com/ovwHLVmK1I

— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) August 17, 2022

pic.twitter.com/uYOkZieApd

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) August 17, 2022

https://twitter.com/Dreamville103/status/1559977972555194369

Hi haters 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/56X8cWW4Vp

— ╰☆☆ ʲẸ𝓷ᑎ𝕚 ☆☆╮ (@JenniFlurry) August 17, 2022

Bronny jr to LAL confirmed pic.twitter.com/jTdatRfqkg

— WISHEEE (@getsmarty2) August 17, 2022

LETS GOOOOOOO!!!! WWWWW pic.twitter.com/WzFxpQz7Ai

— TJ 🙄🤟🏾🌎💞 (@ToonSpade) August 17, 2022

All LeBron sees is 🤑 pic.twitter.com/CFjNRSUERP

— 2『X』『x』『X』♔ (@2xgocrazy2) August 17, 2022

Most guaranteed career earnings (millions):

$532 — LeBron James
$499 — Kevin Durant
$470 — Steph Curry
$450 — Damian Lillard

👑 pic.twitter.com/zOHQLi3Jus

— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 17, 2022

$532M in guaranteed money 💰

Bron after becoming the highest-earning player in NBA history https://t.co/QRFHVkX35K

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 17, 2022

First words after signing the contract pic.twitter.com/TqfM8ycqF5

— ALretardedwithattitude (@rocknrolal) August 17, 2022

pic.twitter.com/X0HSEtSuW9

— Nathaniel Clark (@Ohionate97) August 17, 2022

It is notable that LeBron has the player option for 2024-25 because that is when his son, Bronny, may be a rookie in the NBA. James has consistently talked about wanting to play alongside his son at the sport's highest level, and the player option could present the opportunity to sign with whichever team drafts Bronny.

For now, though, the elder James will be chasing the fifth championship of his career on the Lakers.

LeBron James will be the highest-earning player in NBA history after his latest two-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension Wednesday, which includes a player option for 2024-25, Klutch Sports' Rich Paul told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The guaranteed money puts him past Kevin Durant for the most earnings in league history:

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/UUHMspiKZp

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 17, 2022

James has earned $387 million over his first 19 years in the NBA, per Spotrac. He is set to make $44.5 million in 2022-23, which could have been the final year of his contract with the Lakers, but he will add another $48.6 million per year in his latest deal.

The lofty salary won't be the largest in the NBA even after the extension. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is set to make $53.8 million per year in his latest deal, which will reach as high as $59.6 million in 2025-26.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal will also make over $50 million per year in his new five-year deal.

James still has the career record and is signed through his 22nd year in the NBA.

The 37-year-old has also accumulated wealth off the court, reaching a net worth of over $1 billion in June, per Chase Peterson-Withorn of Forbes. He has earned an estimated $900 million during his career in endorsements and other business ventures, per Forbes.

In 2022, James was the second-highest-paid athlete in the world behind only soccer star Lionel Messi, per Forbes. This came from an estimated $41.2 million on the court and $80 million off it.

The future Hall of Famer has certainly earned this income as one of the best players in NBA history with 18 All-Star selections, four MVP awards and four championships. If he stays healthy, he can become the league's all-time leading scorer next season.

It's safe to say LeBron has lived up to his lofty expectations when he was drafted first overall in 2003.

What a difference a year makes.

There were plenty of questions surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the 2021-22 season, many of which revolved around their collective age and durability. Yet it was still championship-or-bust considering future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook spearheaded the roster.

Now just making the playoffs would be an improvement.

Los Angeles was the league's biggest disappointment last season and finished with a 33-49 record, which wasn't even good enough for the play-in tournament in a conference that saw the 34-48 San Antonio Spurs qualify.

Head coach Frank Vogel was fired at season's end, Westbrook struggled to effectively fit in alongside James and the team was under the spotlight throughout the offseason.

Westbrook's future with the team was up in the air, and there was even some speculation the Lakers would trade for Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving.

The roster is largely intact for now, though, with the Big Three of James, Davis and Westbrook leading the way once again. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported in July that the trio "huddled up on a phone conversation the first weekend of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with each expressing their commitment to one another and vowing to make it work."

Here is the schedule they will have to navigate.

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2022-23 Lakers Schedule Details

Season Opener: At Golden State Warriors, Oct. 18, 10 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +1,800 (bet $100 to win $1,800), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

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Top Matchups

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are once again the gold standard in the NBA.

Stephen Curry and Co. won the title for the fourth time in eight seasons when they defeated the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, and they figure to be on the shortlist of contenders in 2022-23 as well.

Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are still the headliners, and secondary players Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney are back with plenty of postseason experience.

The team may be even better if James Wiseman returns to health after he missed the entire 2021-22 campaign and Thompson further rediscovers his form after he missed two straight seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21 with his own serious injuries.

James is no stranger to battling the Warriors after facing them in four straight NBA Finals when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they are once again the team to beat if the King is going to win a fifth championship.

Even though the Lakers didn't make the playoffs last season, James surely has his eye on another ring since he turns 38 years old in December and likely doesn't have many campaigns remaining in his prime.

If Los Angeles is going to be a legitimate contender, it will need to find a way to remain competitive in its matchups with the Warriors. Otherwise, it could be another disappointing season in Hollywood.

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Los Angeles Clippers

The Lakers and L.A. Clippers have more similarities than just their home city heading into the new season.

They each have plenty of star power, but injuries partially derailed their efforts a year ago. Kawhi Leonard didn't play a single game in 2021-22, and Paul George appeared in just 31 for the Clippers.

Davis played just 40 for the Purple and Gold, which didn't help as Westbrook struggled to play up to his capabilities in his first season with the storied franchise.

If every player on the two rosters remains largely healthy, the Lakers and Clippers could be title contenders. Perhaps fans will finally be treated to the Los Angeles playoff showdown that once seemed inevitable when Leonard and George joined one side and James and Davis joined the other.

While there may be championship expectations in place for both teams, they could well be battling for position near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. It was just last season that the Lakers missed the playoffs entirely and the Clippers lost in the play-in tournament.

The head-to-head matchups between the Los Angeles squads could determine which team avoids the play-in tournament as a No. 5 or 6 seed and which one is playing in the pressure-packed, single-elimination scenario as a No. 9 or 10 seed.

With the potential city rivalry, the star power on both rosters and positioning in the Western Conference standings on the line, these matchups will be must-see.

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Season Forecast

The good news for the Lakers is things can't go much worse than they did last season.

There is a new head coach in place in Darvin Ham, and he spent part of his offseason discussing a new plan for Westbrook to impact the game in a variety of ways alongside James and Davis. The nine-time All-Star has been a ball-dominant playmaker for much of his career, but that didn't work out well with James also on the floor.

LeBron needs effective three-point shooters around him because of all the defensive attention he draws, and Westbrook is anything but that as a 30.5 percent shooter from deep in his career.

If Ham can develop a plan for Westbrook to better utilize the skill set that will one day land him in the Hall of Fame, Davis stays relatively healthy and James remains among the league's best players, there is enough talent to challenge for a title.

That is plenty of "ifs," though, and Davis hasn't played more than 40 games since the 2019-20 campaign. James will also be a year older, and, as excellent as he is, it doesn't seem entirely fair to expect him to replicate his numbers of 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game he posted in 2021-22.

Given the overall talent level and the boost the new coach can provide, the remaining uncertainty about Westbrook's fit, Davis' durability and the team's overall age, expect a solid but unspectacular season from the Lakers.

They won't win the title, but they will make the playoffs in a bounce-back effort from a disappointing 2021-22 campaign.

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Record Prediction: 44-38

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One of the greatest players of all time is staying put with the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James agreed to a new two-year, $97.1 million contract with L.A. on Wednesday, agent Rich Paul told ESPN's 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.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 17, 2022

The deal can increase to $111 million if the salary cap in 2023-2024 rises to a substantially higher number.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 17, 2022

James was previously scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the 2022-23 season.

When his contract status was looming, James talked about his goal of playing alongside his son Bronny in the NBA on multiple occasions. The younger James would be eligible for the 2024 NBA draft assuming the one-and-done rule remains in place.

"My last year will be played with my son," James said in February, per Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."

While it remains to be seen if he will play on the same team as his son, the Lakers ensured James' time with the Purple and Gold is not over yet.

He was already a legend when he joined Los Angeles ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, and his resume now includes four championships, four NBA Finals MVPs, four league MVPs, 18 All-NBA selections, 18 All-Star nods and six All-Defensive selections.

Yet James' time with the Lakers didn't get off to an ideal start.

After reaching eight straight NBA Finals and dominating the Eastern Conference, he missed the playoffs in his first season in Los Angeles in 2018-19. It was the first time he had missed the postseason since his second season in the league in 2004-05.

The 2018-19 season largely derailed after the failure of initial Anthony Davis trade discussions during which Paul—the agent for both James and Davis—made it public knowledge the big man did not want to remain with the New Orleans Pelicans.

To the Lakers' credit, they landed Davis in a trade in the summer of 2019 and won a championship in their second season with James.

That made the James and Los Angeles pairing a success, although the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2020-21. The Lakers missed the postseason again in 2021-22 even though their roster was littered with future Hall of Famers in the King, Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard.

It was hard to blame James for the Lakers' 33-49 record in 2021-22 since he averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game despite turning 37 years old during the season.

The Lakers would be fine with numbers like that during his new deal.

As the 2022-23 NBA schedule reveal is approaching, fans are eagerly waiting to find out the dates of the marquee matchups during the season.

One of the more highly anticipated showdowns will be the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers against the Brooklyn Nets, which feature the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports that the two teams will have their first meeting of the season on Nov. 13 in L.A.

Both the Lakers and Nets are coming off disappointing 2021-22 campaigns. Both teams had aspirations of representing their respective conferences in the NBA Finals, but they fell well short of expectations.

Los Angeles finished with a 33-49 record and failed to qualify for the postseason. Injuries plagued the team as James missed 26 games, while star big man Anthony Davis missed 42 games. Point guard Russell Westbrook struggled to find a consistent role in his first year with the team.

The Nets went 44-38 to and advanced out of the play-in tournament to face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. But Brooklyn was swept in four games by the eventual Eastern Conference champions, sending the team into a tumultuous offseason.

Durant requested to be traded on June 30, and despite the team's difficulty to find a fair deal to ship away the 12-time All-Star, he hasn't backed down from his stance. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported last week that Durant told team governor Joe Tsai that he would only return to the team if head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks were fired.

Irving has also been the subject of trade speculation, with previous reports indicating that the Nets and Lakers were engaged in talks to swap the 30-year-old in exchange for Westbrook. However, Brooklyn doesn't appear to be enticed to part ways with Irving at the moment, either.

It will be interesting to see how the Lakers' and Nets' rosters look when the two teams meet in November.