LeBron James opts out of Lakers contract two days after team drafts son Bronny, agent says

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LeBron James has opted out of his deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN.

The decision, although expected, comes two days after the team selected his son, Bronny, with the 55th pick in the NBA Draft.

It is widely expected the NBA's all-time leading scorer will remain with the Lakers, though, and he could very well take a pay cut from the nearly $52 million he was set to make this season.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA Playoff series against the Denver Nuggets April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

"He is prioritizing a roster improvement. He's been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster," Paul told the network.

James joined the Lakers in 2018 after a return to the Cavaliers, where he finally gave the city of Cleveland a championship. He won his fourth NBA title with the Lakers in 2020.

He just finished his 21st season and played in his record 20th All-Star Game.

At age 39, he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game, all numbers comparable to his career stats of 27.1, 7.4 and 7.5. He also set a career-high by shooting 41.7% from 3-point range, while becoming the first player to score over 40,000 points in a career.

Among players who have played more than 100 games at age 35 and older, James' 27.2 points per game are the most ever by a decent margin. Second is Michael Jordan, who averaged 22.5 in 171 games after turning 35. James has played in 262 since his 35th birthday.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures during the