The offseason conversation in Lakerland has revolved around Russell Westbrook. The former NBA MVP has found himself at the center of trade rumors throughout the summer, and he only added fuel to the fire when he parted ways with his longtime agent, Thad Foucher, who suggested that Westbrook disagreed with him about how he should handle the upcoming season in Los Angeles.
While Westbrook has dominated headlines, another major storyline has been flying under the radar: LeBron James' future. The four-time NBA champion is now eligible to sign a contract extension with the Lakers, but he hasn't revealed his intentions.
James has shown in the past that he is prepared to move on if his team isn't in position to compete for championships, but does he want to leave Los Angeles at this stage of his career?
Let's take a closer look at his situation.
MORE: How much does Westbrook have left in the tank?
When can LeBron James sign a contract extension with the Lakers?
James is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Lakers starting on Thursday, Aug. 4.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, James, his agent Rich Paul and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka met on Thursday and conversations were "productive" as both sides "continue a dialogue."
James' deal could be a one-year extension worth $47 million or a two-year extension worth $97 million. (There isn't a hard deadline on that deal. It could stay on the table until the start of next year's free agency period.)
The 37-year-old is currently only under contract through the 2022-23 season. He originally signed a four-year, $153.5 million with the Lakers in 2018, then agreed to a two-year, $85.6 million extension in 2020 after Los Angeles won the NBA championship.
| Year | Age | Salary |
| 2021-22 | 37 | $41,180,544 |
| 2022-23 | 38 | $44,474,988 |
| 2023-24 | 39 | Unrestricted free agent |
Would LeBron James leave the Lakers in 2023 free agency?
If James doesn't immediately sign a contract extension, it doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be packing his bags. James is "extremely happy in Los Angeles despite the Lakers' back-to-back rocky seasons," according to NBA insider Marc Stein, as his family has "grown increasingly entrenched" in the community.
From a basketball perspective, James could wait until free agency, take a pay cut and allow the Lakers to add better players around him. James Harden went that route and gave the 76ers more flexibility this offseason. They were able to bolster their depth by acquiring P.J. Tucker, Danuel House Jr. and De'Anthony Melton.
James could also hold off on extension talks in order to put pressure on Los Angeles vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka. The threat of James walking away from Crypto.com Arena could push the Lakers to trade future assets for players that get them closer to being a legitimate contender. (Hello, Kyrie Irving!)
And then there's the wild scenario that can't be ruled out: James coming home — again.
Brian Windhorst detailed the possibility of a third stint in Cleveland on the "ESPN Daily" podcast:
I don't sense that LeBron wants to leave the Lakers. But I would be remiss to not point out that the Cavs have positioned themselves to have huge salary cap space next summer, when LeBron could potentially be a free agent. And they have this growing young team. In fact, the team that they have right now is more potent than the team that they had that he returned to in 2014.
The Cavaliers are in a solid spot without James, as they are building around a young core of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. But adding James to the mix would elevate them into a different tier in the Eastern Conference, and James has previously said that "the door's not closed" on a return to Cleveland.
Of course, James could eliminate all of the speculation by putting pen to paper on Aug. 4. If he doesn't, though, Lakerland will have a new topic of conversation.