The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly ready to offer a 3-year $162M contract, which would keep LeBron James on the team through the 2026-27 season. Bryce James is eligible to enter the NBA in 2026.

In what could become one of the most historic and strategic signings in the annals of professional basketball, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly prepared to offer LeBron James a three-year, $162 million contract extension that would keep the four-time NBA champion in purple and gold through the 2026–27 season. The extension, if accepted, would ensure LeBron’s presence on the team well into his 40s — and align him perfectly for a potential reunion with his younger son, Bryce Maximus James, who becomes draft-eligible in 2026.

According to league sources familiar with the Lakers’ internal planning, the offer is not only about retaining one of the greatest players in the sport’s history, but also about legacy, brand continuity, and maximizing the rare chance to make history with the first father-son duo to share an NBA floor — and perhaps, a Lakers jersey.

With LeBron’s eldest son, Bronny James, entering his rookie season this fall with the Lakers, the franchise is poised to take the unprecedented concept of multi-generational basketball to an entirely new level.

The proposed deal, which would pay LeBron an average annual salary of $54 million through age 42, is bold on its face. At this stage of his career, LeBron is already the league’s oldest active player, and while he continues to play at an elite level, durability and availability are legitimate concerns. Yet the Lakers’ front office — now under the influence of new ownership led by Mark Walter and TWG Global — sees the investment in LeBron as more than just production-based.

It’s a calculated move aimed at anchoring the Lakers’ brand in stability, marketability, and generational impact.

“This is bigger than points and minutes,” said one Western Conference executive. “It’s about legacy. It’s about continuity. And yes, it’s about business. LeBron still moves the needle like no one else.”

Despite being in his third decade as a professional, LeBron James continues to defy age. During the 2024–25 NBA season, he averaged 24.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 41.4% from three-point range. He also played in 69 games, his highest total since 2017–18, and helped guide the Lakers to the Western Conference semifinals.

LeBron’s ability to adapt his game — from slasher and scorer to perimeter shooter and primary facilitator — has prolonged his effectiveness. More impressively, he remains a top-20 player in a league teeming with emerging stars in their 20s. Teammates and coaches often point to his conditioning, meticulous recovery regimen, and unmatched basketball IQ as reasons he remains elite.

“He’s still the most impactful player on the court most nights,” said Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. “What he brings isn’t just measured in stats — it’s felt in every possession, every timeout, every locker room moment.”

Perhaps the most intriguing component of this proposed extension is the family dynamic. LeBron has been open for years about his dream of playing alongside his sons. That vision has already partially materialized: the Lakers selected Bronny James with the 55th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, giving the NBA its first father-son active duo.

But the next opportunity could be even more historic.

Bryce James, LeBron’s younger son, is currently preparing for his senior season at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. A 6’5″ wing with a high basketball IQ, smooth shooting mechanics, and rapidly developing athleticism, Bryce has emerged as a legitimate Division I prospect. Analysts project he will be eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft, either through a college stint or a professional route like the G League Ignite or overseas.

If Bryce continues his development trajectory and declares for the draft in 2026, LeBron — under the proposed extension — would still be an active Laker.

“Imagine that moment,” one Lakers insider said. “LeBron, Bronny, and Bryce all potentially on the same court. It’s never happened before, and likely never will again. That’s the type of opportunity this deal sets up.”

From a business standpoint, the Lakers’ willingness to commit $162 million to LeBron makes even more sense. No player in league history has wielded more global influence, brand power, or social media reach than LeBron James. The addition of Bronny already sparked a massive uptick in jersey sales, ticket interest, and media buzz. The potential of adding Bryce to the mix could take it to an entirely different level.

“It’s not just a basketball team — it’s a media franchise,” said longtime NBA marketing strategist Carla Jenkins. “You’re talking about turning the Lakers into a living documentary of basketball’s greatest lineage.”

The Lakers are already in the process of negotiating future broadcast rights deals and international sponsorships. Locking LeBron into an extension would ensure continued global engagement, with the promise of generational milestones attracting attention not just from basketball fans but casual observers worldwide.

The proposed extension does raise financial and roster construction questions. A $54 million per-year commitment to a 40+ year-old player is significant under the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, especially with the luxury tax thresholds tightening and team-building flexibility diminishing for high-spending teams.

However, the Lakers have shown a willingness to operate above the tax line, particularly under new ownership. The front office reportedly believes the James extension can be managed alongside developing young talent and pursuing key veteran additions.

With Anthony Davis signed through 2028 and Bronny James under contract on a multi-year rookie deal, the Lakers appear focused on blending old and new, with a multi-generational team that can compete now and transition smoothly into the post-LeBron era.

“LeBron’s presence buys you time,” said one rival GM. “Time to groom Bronny. Time to see what Bryce can become. Time to pivot the identity of the franchise while still being relevant.”

While LeBron has not publicly commented on the reported offer, his actions and past statements suggest he’s keeping all options open. After playing the last two years on short-term deals, he opted into his final year for 2025–26 but left the door open for further negotiations. His priorities, according to multiple sources close to the James camp, now center less on chasing championships and more on family, legacy, and experience.

“There’s no blueprint for what he’s doing,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “He’s playing chess in a league where most are still playing checkers. He wants to go out on his own terms, with his sons by his side.”

If LeBron signs the extension, it likely signals that he intends to finish his career in Los Angeles — the city where he has built his media empire, raised his children, and now crafted the final, storybook chapter of his unprecedented career.

Of course, there are variables. Bryce James is still developing, and while his upside is evident, there are no guarantees he’ll be ready or even choose to enter the 2026 NBA Draft. Injuries, development paths, or alternative career decisions could all shift the timeline.

But the Lakers — and LeBron himself — appear willing to bet on potential.

“I’ve always said, I want to play with my sons,” LeBron told reporters last season. “If that means being on the same team or just sharing the court against each other, that’s the dream. That’s what drives me.”

The ripple effects of this potential extension will be felt across the NBA. LeBron’s continued presence in Los Angeles impacts free agency decisions, trade strategies, and media narratives league-wide. It also extends the LeBron-era drama that has defined much of the NBA’s last two decades.

Superstars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard are all entering the twilight of their careers. If LeBron plays through 2027, he may not only break more statistical records but become the last active player linking three distinct NBA eras — from the Kobe-Duncan-Garnett era, to the Durant-Curry-Harden generation, and into the new age of Victor Wembanyama, Luka Dončić, and Anthony Edwards.

If LeBron accepts the deal and plays through the 2026–27 season, it’s highly likely that campaign would be his final run. At 42, with 24 NBA seasons behind him, and the chance to share the court with both sons in hand, there may be no better time to bow out.

The farewell tour, the tributes, the commemorative jerseys — all of it would become a part of an NBA season unlike any other. For the league, the fans, and the Lakers organization, it would mark not just the end of a career, but the culmination of one of the most impactful legacies in sports history.

The reported three-year, $162 million extension offer to LeBron James isn’t just a contract — it’s a declaration. A declaration that the Lakers are fully embracing the power of story, family, loyalty, and legacy. That they’re willing to ride with the King into the sunset, no matter the cost.

If LeBron accepts, the next few seasons could give basketball something it’s never seen before: a father playing with both his sons, in the same uniform, for the most iconic franchise in the league.

And in a sport built on dreams, that might be the biggest one of all.