LeBron James likes to keep everyone guessing about his next move, but Shams Charania says the NBA great is expected to return to the Lakers for at least one more season.
The ESPN insider think he knows how James will play his $52.6 million player option.
“I’m told he’s likely to opt in,” Charania said on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday. “He’s got a massive player option. That’s likely. That’s the plan. But, again, his option date is June 29th. So he still has about a month to figure that out.”
James opting in would make him an unrestricted free agent after next season. In previous years, he declined his player option and signed one-plus-one deals for flexibility.
Shams added, “He’s probably going to opt in because the option is so big and that gives you flexibility to figure out do you extend off that number or this is the final year, if this is the last hurrah, essentially. Year 23 for No. 23. They have the All-Star weekend in Los Angeles. So, to me, it’s very storybook if that’s the way it goes. But that’s a decision that he’s gotta make.”
Charania thinks that LeBron might have a few things to say to the Lakers’ brass about the current roster, though.
“There’s going to be some hard conversations that are going to happen between him, the Lakers, seeing what this team looks like,” Shams predicted. “Because, listen, LeBron James, whether he plays one more season or a few more seasons, he wants to be in a competitive environment.”
This report comes not long after Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and LeBron’s agent claiming he has no idea what LeBron’s plan is for next season.
READ MORE: Rich Paul Gets Honest About LeBron James’ Retirement Plans