LeBron James has spent more than two decades building a legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He has become a symbol of consistency, achieving both individual and team success, and remaining at the top of the sport year after year.
Along the way, James has also earned a record-setting amount of money through his NBA contracts, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in league history. Here is a closer look at his current deal, salary, and career earnings.
What Is LeBron James’ Contract?
With ambitions of one day owning an NBA franchise, James has made it a priority to maximize his earnings with every contract. Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, he has signed several extensions with the team.
Currently, James is in the second year of a two-year contract worth $101,355,998, which he signed in 2024. The deal included a player option for the second year, and James chose to exercise that option. Shams Charania broke the news on X.
Breaking: Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James is opting into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN.
Paul adds: LeBron “knows the Lakers are building for the future … but he values a realistic chance of winning it all.” pic.twitter.com/q5mT1O2R35
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
This contract is the third-largest of James’ career by total value. Only his six-year deal with the Miami Heat in 2010, worth $109,837,500, and his initial four-year contract with the Lakers in 2018, valued at $153,312,846, were larger.
What Is James’ Salary?
By exercising his player option, James is earning $52,627,153 for the 2025-26 season.
Reporting on @SportsCenter — LeBron James opts in on $52.6 million for the 2025-26 season but is evaluating his Lakers future: pic.twitter.com/ZQWEJLUNqo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
He is currently one of the highest-paid players in the league, which is baffling considering his age. He continues to defy nature on and off the court even now.
What Are James’ Career Earnings?
When James stepped onto the court this season, he became the first and only player in NBA history to play a 23rd season. He has been an All-Star and a top MVP candidate since the early stages of his career, and his salary has reflected his significant impact on the league.
Over 22 NBA seasons, James has earned $581,322,455 in salary alone. With his $52,627,153 salary for 2025-26. This is the most any NBA player has ever made through contracts, and he leads the league in career earnings by a wide margin.
Lakers vs. Mavericks Game Preview
Los Angeles is playing its best basketball of the season, going 8–2 over its last 10 contests and covering the spread in seven of those games. During that stretch, Lakers games have averaged just over 231 combined points, thanks to a top-15 offense that puts up 118.3 points per night while still holding opponents to 113.8 points.
They have already gone over the posted total in every home game this season and have been particularly dominant when crossing the 115‑point threshold, posting a 12–0 record both straight up and against the spread when they do.
The engine of that surge is Dončić, who has turned the Lakers’ attack into one of the league’s most potent units. He averages 35.2 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game and is coming off a 43‑point, 13‑rebound, nine‑assist performance in a 135–118 dismantling of the Clippers, his sixth 40‑plus outing of the young season.
Around him, Austin Reaves has blossomed into a bona fide co‑star at 27.9 points per game, while Ayton, Hachimura, and a deep supporting cast supply efficient finishing, rebounding, and floor spacing that leave defenses picking their poison.
Dallas is in a far different place, with two straight losses and a broader 3–7 slide over its last 10 games, even while going a respectable 5–5 against the spread over that span. The Mavericks average just 109.5 points per game, the second‑fewest in the league, a figure that falls more than eight points shy of Los Angeles’ output and sits 5.3 points below the Lakers’ defensive average.
When Dallas does manage to push past 114.8 points, it appears more competitive, going 3–1 overall in those rare outbursts; however, consistent shot creation has been a glaring problem.
The roster composition explains much of the strain. Flagg has been thrust into a primary scoring role, posting 15.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on solid efficiency, a promising line that nonetheless underscores the considerable responsibility he carries at this stage.