LeBron James and the Lakers have not yet come to a final offer for James’ future. Well, the reason for the same depends on a lot of aspects. The upcoming draft featuring Bronny and James’ desired three-year deal holds quite some weight in this scenario. While LeBron’s wish to play with his son was pretty obvious a couple of years ago, the hype isn’t as visible. As much as the Lakers fans would want the King back, so does his teammates.

Recently, Austin Reaves talked about James’ return. While Reaves isn’t fully sure about LeBron’s stance as of now, he does wish to continue to play alongside him. “I would say yes, but I don’t know. So ya’ll don’t quote me on that. Obviously, I would love to have him back. He’s meant so much to me and my three years, he’s basically, you know, one of two, him and AD, the guys that I’ve been with since my rookie year. And they’ve helped me in so many instances so, I would love nothing more than Bron coming back.”, said Reaves.

James is rumored to be willing to sign a three-year deal worth $162 million. His recent contract, which was a two-year maximum veteran extension worth $99 million, ends with a player option, as the deadline is set for the 29th of this month. With how things are playing out, the Lakers will probably offer James a three-year deal, while also trying their best to draft Bronny in the first or second round. They’re already working on building a better franchise, as they signed JJ Redick to a four-year deal. With LeBron James on the floor and Redick on the sidelines, it will be a sight to see.

In terms of assets, the Lakers lack reliable shooting, with Russell and Reaves putting up most from the deep. Overall, the squad is well-balanced and once the Lakers introduce any solid, reliable shooter, James might be looking at a deeper playoff run next year. Still, the question about James’ future may be something to consider.

LeBron James will be 42 by the end of his next possible contract

If the King does agree to play for three more years, he may just be one of the top players in the league at 40. Last year, Lebron claimed himself to be better than 90% of the current active players. For the most part, it is true. Though it will be interesting to see whether he could maintain the same stature after he’s 40. Also, this will probably be James’ last contract. For the next season, we may see him share the court with his son, Bronny, on the same team, even if it is not LA.

There haven’t been many players who dominated past the age of 40. Vince Carter retired when he was 43, but his game slowed down after he joined the Grizzlies. On the other hand, James’ versatility has spoken volumes in the past few years. It is sad to see that the Chosen One is entering the final stages of his career. What are your thoughts on LeBron’s next contract? Do you think the Lakers will push past the $160 million mark for the three-year deal? Let us know in the comments.

For more interesting NBA content, make sure to watch our conversation with Leonard Armato, who speaks about the Lakers, Shaq, and more in the video below.