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LeBron James to sign $104M deal with Lakers

Wed Jul 3 10:25am ET
Field Level Media

LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $104 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN and The Athletic reported Wednesday.

The move represents only a slight salary increase over his scheduled 2024-25 season salary of $51.4 million in the form of a player option.

But James opted out of his contract last week, one day after the Lakers selected his oldest son, Bronny, with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Even before the potential of the father-son pairing, all signs pointed to James playing his 22nd NBA season -- seventh with Los Angeles.

The deal, culminated on the fourth day of free agency, includes a no-trade clause and a player option for next season.


The delay in hammering out the deal reportedly was a byproduct of James' attempted recruiting mission, which appears to have been unsuccessful in landing another "impact" free agent.

ESPN reported James wanted to bring either Klay Thompson or DeMar DeRozan to Los Angeles. Thompson reportedly had a $20 million-per-season contract waiting from the Lakers, but he opted to join Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic with the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks.

DeRozan, a Los Angeles native who played at Southern California, remained unsigned as of Wednesday morning. Reports linked him to the Sacramento Kings, but after James signed for the maximum, the Lakers would need to shed salary in a sign-and-trade agreement with the Chicago Bulls to acquire DeRozan.

The elder James, who turns 40 in December, expressed multiple times that he wanted to play with his son before ending his career. He watched from the back of the training facility as Bronny James and first-round pick Dalton Knecht were formally introduced at a news conference on Tuesday.

LeBron James averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds in 71 games in the 2023-24 season.

James, a four-time league MVP, became the first player in history to top 40,000 career points last season. He's a 20-time All-Star and has career averages of 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 1,492 regular-season games.

Player Notes
Robert Williams Mon Nov 4 9:10pm

Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (hamstring) will play on Monday night against the Pelicans. The big man appeared in only six games for Portland in 2023-24 before suffering a season-ending knee injury in November. Unfortunately, he tweaked his hamstring during training camp and has been working his way back since. Without question, Williams is as talented as it gets, especially on the defensive end. However, he'll likely see limited minutes in his first game back, so fantasy managers should keep him on the bench.

Zion Williamson Mon Nov 4 9:00pm

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (thigh) remains out on Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The former Duke Blue Devil wasn't available for Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks, so he'll miss a second consecutive game because of thigh soreness. His next chance to get on the floor will be on Wednesday against the visiting Cavs. But as far as Monday's contest is concerned, fantasy managers can expect more minutes for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Daniel Theis, and Yves Missi.

Immanuel Quickley Mon Nov 4 8:50pm

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) remains out for Monday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets. The former Knick hasn't played since the opener. While he's moving in the right direction, Monday's absence will mark his sixth missed game of the 2024-25 campaign. With Scottie Barnes (eye) also out, RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick are the favorites to lead the way offensively. Davion Mitchell will also continue to be a viable streaming option, with the 25-year-old averaging 8.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in six starts this season.

Rudy Gobert Mon Nov 4 8:50pm

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (ankle) is set to play in Monday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Gobert has been managing a left ankle sprain but has not missed any games this season. He is currently averaging 10.8 points and 10.3 rebounds early in 2024. If Gobert's playing time is restricted, Naz Reid will take over. Reid has been performing well off the bench, averaging 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, making him a solid option in fantasy leagues.

Jalen Smith Mon Nov 4 8:40pm

Chicago Bulls forwardJalen Smith(knee) is available for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz. Smith was sidelined during Wednesday's win over Orlando due to a left knee effusion, though he was able to play in Friday's loss to Brooklyn. The 24-year-old has impacted in a limited run off the bench this season. He's averaged 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds across 13.6 minutes per game in five regular-season appearances.

Brandon Miller Mon Nov 4 8:30pm

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (glute) will play on Monday night versus the Timberwolves. The 21-year-old last played in Saturday's matchup with the Boston Celtics, amassing 16 points, six assists, two steals, and one block. However, since that was his first contest back from a four-game absence, fantasy managers were hoping he wouldn't miss another one. Fortunately, that won't happen. As usual, Miller is a must-start, with his presence meaning fewer minutes for Cody Martin.

Lauri Markkanen Mon Nov 4 8:20pm

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (back) won't play on Monday night versus the Chicago Bulls. The 27-year-old was listed as questionable earlier in the day on Monday. However, his status changed to doubtful, so most already assumed he'd miss a third consecutive contest. Kyle Filipowski will likely remain with the first five, with the 20-year-old averaging a decent 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in two starts this season. John Collins should also continue to benefit from off the bench and remains in line to surpass his fantasy expectations.

Josh Giddey Mon Nov 4 8:20pm

Chicago Bulls guard/forwardJosh Giddey(illness) will suit up against the Utah Jazz after being listed on the team's injury list early Monday afternoon with a non-COVID illness. In the last three Bulls games, the 22-year-old play has been impressive, averaging 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.3 steals. If Giddey's minutes are limited, Coby Whitewill likely get more on-ball duties, whileAyo Dosunmu will also see more action.

John Konchar Mon Nov 4 8:00pm

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forwardJohn Konchar(quadriceps) has been ruled out for Monday's matchup against Brooklyn. Konchar will miss his third consecutive contest, battling a contusion in the right quadriceps. The 28-year-old has averaged 5.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.0 minutes this season. His absence is another blow for the team as injuries continue to pile up. Jaylen Wells and Scotty Pippen will likely continue to see increased roles as they have recently.

Austin Reaves Mon Nov 4 7:30pm

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Los Angeles Lakers forwardAustin Reaves(ankle) has been cleared to play against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. The 26-year-old has yet to miss a game this season. He's a starter in any fantasy format, averaging 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.2 threes per game to start the year. Anthony Davis (hip) and D'Angelo Russell (foot)are also available after being listed as probable earlier on Monday.

Anthony Davis Mon Nov 4 7:30pm

Jovan Buha from The Athletic has reported that Davis (hip) will be available for Monday's matchup with the Pistons. As anticipated, he has been upgraded from probable to available status and will carry on playing despite experiencing right hip soreness. This issue hasn't affected his performance, as he's currently averaging 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.8 steals over 36.0 minutes per game.

D'Angelo Russell Mon Nov 4 7:20pm

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Los Angeles Lakers guardD'Angelo Russell(foot) has been cleared to play for Monday's matchup with the Detroit Pistons. The veteran guard was listed as probable with a right foot contusion earlier in the day, but it appears the injury won't keep him off the court for Monday's contest. He will continue in the starting five alongside Austin Reaves(ankle) andAnthony Davis(hip), who are also available after being listed as probable.

De'Aaron Fox Mon Nov 4 7:10pm

Sacramento Kings star guard De'Aaron Fox (hand) is dealing with a ligament issue in his left pinky on his shooting hand, but he intends to play through it. The speedy guard dislocated the finger during training camp, though X-rays were negative. The injury hasn't impacted his scoring efficiency, as he's shooting a solid 47.7 percent from the field across six games this season. So far, he's averaging 23.5 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game and continues to make a strong impact on both ends of the floor.

Dean Wade Mon Nov 4 6:50pm

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (illness) won't play on Monday versus Milwaukee. Wade has been starting in place of the injured Max Strus (ankle). However, he's averaged only 6.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals this season. With Caris LeVert (knee) also out, Isaac Okoro will move into the starting lineup and be worth adding to fantasy lineups. The same can be said for Sam Merrill, who had 17 points in 22 minutes off the bench on Saturday against the Bucks, the first of back-to-back contests between the clubs.

Caris LeVert Mon Nov 4 6:40pm

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Caris LeVert (knee) won't play on Monday against the Bucks. The veteran has been battling knee soreness, so he'll miss his second consecutive contest. With Dean Wade (illness) also out versus Milwaukee, Isaac Okoro will get the start, giving him streaming potential for fantasy managers. Sam Merrill, coming off a 17-point showing on Saturday, should be lumped in the same category as Okoro.

Ben Simmons Mon Nov 4 6:30pm

Brooklyn Nets utility man Ben Simmons won't suit up on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. Simmons won't play in back-to-back contests for the foreseeable future, so his absence is maintenance related. But with Noah Clowney (hip) also out, Nicolas Claxton may work his way back into the starting lineup. If not, Brooklyn may go small and have Dorian Finney-Smith handle things in the middle. There's also streaming potential for Ziaire Williams and Jalen Wilson to see an uptick in fantasy production with Simmons off the floor.

Kevin Huerter Mon Nov 4 6:20pm

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (illness) won't play on Monday night in Miami. He hasn't felt well, keeping him off the court for Saturday's overtime loss to the Raptors. Doug McDermott got the start in that one. However, he finished with only four points in 15 minutes. With that in mind, McDermott should be left out of fantasy lineups. Instead, Keon Ellis, who had eight points, two steals, and two blocks versus Toronto, is worth streaming. Ellis will also be an enticing DFS value option.

Stephen Curry Mon Nov 4 6:10pm

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (ankle) will return for Monday's game against the Wizards. The sharpshooter has missed the last three games because of a sprained right ankle. But he had been progressing even more over the last few days, so fantasy managers had a feeling he was on his way back. While there is a chance Curry will see fewer minutes than usual in his first game back, he remains a must-start. Brandin Podziemski, who will likely head back to the bench, is still worth adding to any fantasy lineup.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Mon Nov 4 5:50pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (adductor) won't play on Monday night against the Cavaliers. The multi-time All-Star has been listed on the injury report all season for a knee issue. However, an adductor strain will keep him off the floor versus Cleveland. With Khris Middleton (ankles) still out, Damian Lillard should see a surge in scoring opportunities. Bobby Portis, who will likely slide into the starting lineup, Gary Trent Jr., and Brook Lopez could also surpass fantasy expectations with Antetokounmpo sidelined.

Kevin Huerter Mon Nov 4 5:40pm

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (illness) is listed as questionable for Monday's game against the Miami Heat. After missing Saturday's contest against the Toronto Raptors, the 26-year-old has a chance to return. He has been productive this season, averaging 11.6 points and 2.8 rebounds across 26.0 minutes over five games. If Huerter is unable to play, expect Keon Ellis and Malik Monk to potentially step into larger roles. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to tip-off for any updates.


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