LeBron James: Lakers Contract & 23rd NBA Season

LeBron James is set to play in a record 23rd NBA season after his agent said the 40-year-old has exercised an option to extend his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rich Paul said James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, was targeting a fifth Championship after activating a $53m (£41m) player option for the 2025-26 season.

“He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all,” he told ESPN.

“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

James currently shares the NBA season record with eight-time All-Star Vince Carter. His tally of 1,562 regular-season appearances is just 50 short of breaking former Boston Celtics star Robert Parish’s NBA record.