LeBron James agrees to a 2-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, AP source says

LeBron James is making it official: He's coming back for a record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, one where the league's all-time scoring leader could share the floor with his son Bronny as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the Lakers, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Wednesday. The second year of the deal is at James' option and means he could become a free agent again next summer, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced publicly.

ESPN reported that the Lakers and James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, may agree on a salary slightly less than the max that James could have gotten — a move that could keep the team from reaching the second apron and preserve some roster flexibility going forward.

Either way, the expectation is that James will make around $50 million — give or take a little bit — this coming season, pushing his career on-court earnings to around $530 million and making him the first player in NBA history to eclipse the $500 million mark.

It will be James' 22nd season in the NBA, tying Vince Carter for the league record. The Lakers selected Bronny James last week in the second round of the draft, putting them in position to have the first on-court father-son duo in NBA history.

Bronny James already has signed his first NBA contract, the Lakers announced Wednesday. It is a four-year deal, the last of those years at the Lakers' option, worth $7.9 million — with about $1.2 million as his rookie year salary.

Getting his latest deal done clears one logistical hurdle for LeBron James: He needed a contract to be in place before he could take the floor with USA Basketball for the start of its training camp in Las Vegas this weekend, one where the squad will start preparations for the Paris Olympics. James will play in the Olympics for the fourth time, his first since helping the U.S. win gold at the 2012 London Games.

He’ll turn 40 in December and averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists last season — as the oldest active player in the league.

Not only is James the all-time leader in points (40,474), but he’s fourth in assists (11,009), sixth in games played (1,492) and eighth in both 3-pointers made (2,410) and steals (2,275).

His 20 All-Star selections is a record, as are his 20 appearances on the All-NBA team. He holds the records for being both the youngest player, and oldest player, to make an All-NBA squad.

James became the youngest to make All-NBA when he was voted onto the team for the 2004-05 season. This past season, he became the first player to be age 39 or older in what became an All-NBA campaign.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan were both just a few days from turning 39 when the regular seasons ended in what became their final All-NBA campaigns, Abdul-Jabbar’s being 1985-86 and Duncan’s being 2014-15. James played in 71 games this past season, the last 42 of those coming after he turned 39.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James attends a news conference to introduce his son Bronny James as the Los Angeles Lakers draft pick during the NBA basketball team's news conference in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Los Angeles Lakers draft pick Bronny James, left, and his father, LeBron James, share a light moment as they arrive for the NBA basketball team's news conference in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James attends a news conference held to introduce the team's draft picks, his son, Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

SEATTLE (AP) — Chennedy Carter scored a season-high 33 points and rookie Angel Reese extended her WNBA single-season record for consecutive double-doubles to 12 to help the Chicago sky beat the Seattle Storm 88-84 Friday night.

Carter shot 15 for 24 and Reese finished with a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds. Reese, who went into the game leading the WNBA in rebounds (11.8 per game) and offensive rebounds (4.8), made 8 of 13 from the field, 2 of 2 from 3-point range and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line — including 4 of 4 in the final 20 seconds.

Reese’s 12 straight double-doubles tied Candace Parker’s WNBA-record streak that spanned the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Reese hit a 3-pointer that gave Chicago (8-11) a 78-70 lead with 6:16 to play. Jewell Loyd hit a pull-up jumper and a tip-in putback to cut the deficit to four with 4 minutes remaining. Jordan Horston made a 3-pointer, followed by back-to-back baskets by Ezi Magbegor that pulled the Storm to 84-82 with 20.2 seconds left before Reese sealed it from the free-throw line.

Seattle (13-7) had previously won four straight — all by double-digit margins.

Horston led the Storm with a season-high 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Nneka Ogwumike added 16 points and Loyd 13. Magbegor also scored 13 with eight rebounds and a career-high eight blocks, and Skylar Diggins-Smith finished with 12 points and nine assists.

Rookie center Camila Cardoso finished with nine points, eight rebounds and two blocks for Chicago.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) is interviewed by Holly Rowe after the Sky defeated the Indiana Fever, 88-87, in a WNBA basketball game, Sunday, June 23, 2024, in Chicago. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune via AP)