LeBron James Could Stay with Lakers on a Shocking 2 Years $50M Deal, Insider Suggests

Until LeBron James himself announces his future, rumors, speculation, and suggestions will continue to fly. As the summer approaches, discussions on what the 41-year-old might do are intensifying.

Many believe he will stay with the Los Angeles Lakers. Among those people is NBA writer Brad Turner, who not only predicted that James would stay in LA but also laid out the type of contract he might sign with them.

"I'm gonna throw this out there. [LeBron] comes back on a two-year deal at $25 million per season with a player option and a no-trade clause," Turner said. "He gets his $50 million, just not in one season."

$25 million per year is a significant pay cut for James. He is expected to command a salary north of $50 million should he choose to play in 2026-27. Those numbers are unprecedented for someone who will turn 42 in December.

However, his play also defies Father Time. This past season, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 33.2 minutes of action through 60 games. He also played 10 playoff games, wherein he averaged 23.2, 6.7, and 7.3.

Those stats are atypical of someone still playing professionally at this stage of their career. They also tell the story of someone who remains effective and is perfectly within their rights to demand a $50 million-per-year contract.

For the Lakers, though, paying James that sum hurts their roster. They lose any flexibility to put together a strong supporting cast around their stars to help them actually compete for a title.

As such, getting James to agree to the $25 million-per-year contract Brad Turner suggested makes perfect sense. They retain the veteran star, while also having the best chance to build a team around him that has a legitimate shot at winning a championship.

Furthermore, a deal of this nature will allow the Los Angeles Lakers to give Austin Reaves a fair deal.

Aside From LeBron James, the Lakers Also Need to Make an Offer to Austin Reaves

LeBron James is not the only player that the Lakers need to negotiate with this summer. Just like James, Reaves is also set to hit free agency this summer.

The 28-year-old offensive specialist has not officially declined his player option yet, but by now, it's a foregone conclusion that he will. Reports indicate that he still wants to remain in LA; he just wants to be paid what he deserves.

If he picks up that player option, he remains with the Lakers for one more season, earning $14,898,786. As a free agent, he can get paid up to $40 million per season.

Reaves upped his scoring average in 2025-26 to 23.3 points per game. Most nights, he looked like the second option behind Luka Dončić in JJ Redick's offensive schemes. He was also a decent playmaker, averaging 5.5 assists.

If the Lakers can retain both James and Reaves, they enter the 2026-27 campaign with a trio of stars. However, this might also hurt their ability to sign capable role players.