NBA legend LeBron James became a free agent for the first time in six years but without much drama, rejoining the Lakers without much fanfare on Wednesday.
This isn’t the first time James has quietly become a free agent: He opted out three times during his second tenure with the Cavaliers and sat out the free-agent market for six weeks after leading the team to a championship in 2016. Some offseasons have been focused on James’ next move, but this wasn’t the case this time.
James’ free agency was dominated by an all-too-familiar short-term deal: He signed a two-year, $104 million contract with the Lakers that was essentially a one-year deal with a player option for the 2025-26 season. It’s far from the 39-year-old’s first short-term deal that allows him maximum flexibility.
Here’s a look back at the history of James’ NBA contracts with the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers.
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LeBron James’ Contract History
James has signed 10 contracts since entering the NBA in 2003.
2003 — Four-year, $18.8 million rookie contract
James was the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and signed a four-year, $18.8 million rookie contract with the Cavaliers.
James was a phenom at the time, but this was more of a going rate for a top pick who doesn’t have the same contractual leverage as a typical free agent, and in retrospect, it almost seems like a mistake to say James made less than $5 million a year.
2006 — Four-year, $60.4 million contract with the Cavaliers
The Cavaliers got ahead of the game by extending James a year before his rookie deal was due to expire, giving their star player a four-year, $60.4 million contract — roughly triple the salary of his rookie deal.
2010 – Signed a six-year, $110 million contract with the Heat
The Collective Bargaining Agreement, put in place after the 2011 lockout, does not allow new NBA contracts to be longer than five years, but James signed a contract with the Heat before the lockout.
Of course, this deal was the least of the drama of the 2010 offseason. James was going to take as much money as he was allowed, but which team it would come from was the main story in the sports world. James’ free agency saga gave way to the infamous ESPN special “The Decision,” in which he announced he was leaving the Cavaliers and signing with the Heat.
2014 — Two-year, $42.2 million contract with the Cavaliers
The terms of James’ contract were not even discussed when he opted out of his contract and became a free agent again in 2014. The entire league waited more than a week to hear James’ decision as a return to Cleveland became a possibility.
James eventually announced, via Sports Illustrated, that he would return to his hometown and rejoin the Cavaliers, but the decision changed the face of the NBA and dismantled Miami’s “Big Three.”
2015 — Signed a two-year, $47 million contract with the Cavaliers
James’ 2014 contract gave him the right to opt out after the 2014-15 season, but he wasn’t expected to make another dramatic free-agent move — the superstar re-signed with the Cavaliers on a two-year, $47 million deal just days after becoming a free agent.
2016 — Three-year, $100 million contract with the Cavaliers
James opted out of his two-year contract after leading the Cavaliers to an NBA championship in 2016, but he was never expected to leave Cleveland again. Proof that neither side was in a rush, it took just six weeks for James to re-sign to a three-year, $100 million contract, comfortably breaking his salary record of $33 million per year.
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2018 — Signed a four-year, $153.5 million contract with the Lakers
James was making more than $38 million when he left the Cavaliers to sign with the Lakers in 2018. There was no question that James would receive a max contract in Los Angeles, but his decision to join a third franchise and leave the Eastern Conference for the first time changed the NBA landscape.
2020 — Signed a two-year, $86 million contract with the Lakers
The Lakers avoided any free-agent drama by signing James to a two-year, $86 million contract extension early in the shortened 2020-21 season.
2022 — Two-year, $99 million contract with the Lakers
James reaffirmed his commitment to the Lakers ahead of the 2022-23 season with a two-year contract extension worth just under $100 million.
2024 — Two-year, $104 million contract with the Lakers
There were no dramatic changes for James in his first free agent role since 2018, other than signing the biggest contract of his career in terms of salary. James is set to make $52 million in each of the next two seasons, but the deal includes an option to opt out in 2025.
James’ career is likely to be year-to-year at this point despite his continued excellence, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if James opts out of his contract next summer and signs another one if he wants to return for a 23rd season.
LeBron James’ career earnings
James has earned $479.5 million through 21 seasons, and his new deal ensures he will comfortably surpass the $500 million mark in Year 22.
James went through large periods of his career where he wasn’t the highest-paid player on his team, but his longevity and sustained accomplishments have made him far more than every other player in NBA history in career earnings. Kevin Durant is second with $396.7 million in career earnings, but he’ll easily surpass $400 million this season, just as James is on his way to surpassing $500 million.
James is expected to make $583.5 million in career earnings by the end of his new contract, but that total could be affected if he retires or opts out of his contract after the 2024-25 season.
