LeBron James extends Lakers deal, Anthony Davis set to follow
Reigning NBA Finals MVP LeBron James, who will turn 36 this month, has agreed to a two-year, US$85 million (S$113.8m) contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent Rich Paul said on Wednesday.
The extension means James will make US$39.2 million next season and will be a Laker through the 2022-23 season, American sports broadcaster ESPN reported Paul as saying.
He will also make US$41.1m in 2021-22 and US$44.5m in 2022-23. By the time his contract ends, he will have played two decades in the NBA.
Last season, he averaged 25.3 points and led the NBA in assists with 10.2 per game.
James was named play-off MVP after the Lakers beat the Miami Heat in six games for the NBA championship.
He became the first player in NBA history to win the award with three different teams. He also was Finals MVP with the Heat in 2012 and 2013 and with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
James enters his 18th NBA season in 2020-21 ranked third on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 34,241 points, behind only Karl Malone (36,928) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387).
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis and the Lakers yesterday agreed a five-year deal worth up to US$190m, according to multiple reports.
Davis had opted out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent in the days after the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship in Orlando. - AFP
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