Suppose LeBron has another year approximately like this one...

[RoundMoundOfReb]

So clear all-nba first team, mvpish type season. Something better than that in the playoffs, Lakers repeat.

He opts out and wants a 5-year supermax from LA.

He would have finished his 36th year. So the contract would include his year 37,38,39,40,41 seasons.

Assuming the cap to be 115 million, 35% would normally be 40.25 plus 8% each year.

So

40.25, 43.47, 46.95, 50.7, 54.76

5 years 236.15 million

HOWEVER, since he's already on a supermax he would be eligible for a 5% raise on his 2021 salary (39.2), so it would be:

41.16, 44.45, 48.00, 51.85, 56

5 years 241.46 million

Do you give it to him? Do you bite the 150-million dollar bullet on the last like 3 years (where he surely won't be worth it) for the chance he lives up to it in the first 2? If you wouldn't, how long would you be willing to go? What if the Lakers don't repeat but are still significant contenders?

I believe a non-lakers team would only be able to do a 4-year supermax with 5% raises, do you do that if you're like the Heat or Dallas or the Raptors (or any of the teams with cap space that loses out on Giannis)?

[Ben Simmons]

He's not going for 5 years lol

[RoundMoundOfReb]

He's not going for 5 years lol

Humour me

[Ainosterhaspie]

You don't do that if you care about competing at the tail end of that contract. But you could figure he'll sell tickets and merch, so screw winning let's make some money. Same thing they did with Kobe. Then deal with the down years and hope the next superstar will see what happened with Kobe and LeBron and come to town for that sweet golden parachute. Just show up early enough to win a title or two to qualify for that thanks for the memories contract.

[Ben Simmons]

Humour me

They would give it to him because he helped revive the franchise. Old Lebron is still gonna be a top 10 player. That said, he will probably sign 1+1s and if he gets injured or something opt in and have a retirement tour

[Shooter]

You don't do that if you care about competing at the tail end of that contract. But you could figure he'll sell tickets and merch, so screw winning let's make some money. Same thing they did with Kobe. Then deal with the down years and hope the next superstar will see what happened with Kobe and LeBron and come to town for that sweet golden parachute. Just show up early enough to win a title or two to qualify for that thanks for the memories contract.

+1

[iamgine]

You're forgetting the financial aspect of it. Sure maybe old Lebron would lower the chance of winning, but his financial power is so huge that it's not a problem. This is why you should hold players like Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, Yao for as long as possible.

[light]

The way it looks right now is that LeBron James at age 38-39-40 is still going to be an MVP caliber player contending for championships so I'd give him whatever he wanted.

If he has 5 rings by the time he has to sign this contract then it's a no brainer.

A bonus for the franchise is that no one will get criticized for it.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

They would give it to him because he helped revive the franchise. Old Lebron is still gonna be a top 10 player. That said, he will probably sign 1+1s and if he gets injured or something opt in and have a retirement tour

I don't see him doing 1+1 at this point in his career... The whole point of doing that was that he knew he could get a longer deal at the max whenever he wants. 2 3 years down the road even. I don't think that's the case now. If he wants to make as much money as possible the move would be to leverage the short term for the long term.

[TheCorporation]

The way it looks right now is that LeBron James at age 38-39-40 is still going to be an MVP caliber player contending for championships so I'd give him whatever he wanted.

If he has 5 rings by the time he has to sign this contract then it's a no brainer.

A bonus for the franchise is that no one will get criticized for it.

I mean shit, Tobias Harris is getting $41M in 2024 so...:lol

[PP34Deuce]

He's Lebron James, if he really wanted a 5 year contract after 2021, he'll get it somewhere.

I think endorsements and business wise, his nBA contract is similar to how Shaq looked at his...just saving it. I don't think Lebron does a 5 year deal where anything can happen. I do see him going for a 2 year mega size deal or 3 year max and then he's done.