(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers hired JJ Redick as their new head coach and drafted Bronny James with the No. 55 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, the storied franchise has been laser-focused on surrounding superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis with the talent needed to compete in the Western Conference.
LeBron James has been so intent on contending or at least competing in the West next season that he was willing to take a pay cut in order to help general manager Rob Pelinka and the team’s front office to entice free agents to come to Los Angeles.
Although it was reported that LeBron James could take up as much as $20 million less in his new contract, that all changed on Wednesday morning when it was announced that he agreed to a two-year deal with the Lakers at $104 million, which leaves little wiggle room to make a substantial move.
Apparently, Nick Wright of FOX Sports via First Things First didn’t find LeBron James taking all the money he could get from the Lakers brass in this new deal surprising.
“This was predictable. We knew Rob Pelinka & the Lakers front office wouldn’t be able to do their jobs well enough, so LeBron would just end up taking the money,” Wright said.
“This was predictable. We knew Rob Pelinka & the Lakers front office wouldn’t be able to do their jobs well enough so LeBron would just end up taking the money.”
— @getnickwright on LBJ reportedly agreeing to 2-yr/$104M deal with LAL: pic.twitter.com/w7cseB1BnA
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 3, 2024
Despite being set to turn 40 years old in December, LeBron James is still arguably one of the best players in the league today and is deserving of every penny he can get from the storied franchise.
However, if contending while playing alongside his son was the top priority, money wouldn’t have been an issue, as taking a pay cut would’ve been a no-brainer, but that clearly didn’t happen.
The post Nick Wright Says One Lakers Offseason Move Was Predictable appeared first on The Cold Wire.