Candace Parker’s jersey now hangs in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena—right where it belongs. She spent 13 seasons with the Sparks, leading them to a 2016 championship and earning Finals MVP honors. But that was just the start. She brought a title to her hometown with the Chicago Sky in 2021 and won a third with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023, becoming the first player in WNBA history to win championships with three different franchises. When she posted about her jersey retirement, LeBron James chimed in with three hands-up emojis—because when legends see legends, they salute.
Speaking of LeBron, he’s also making history. By picking up his $52.6 million player option for the 2025–26 season, LeBron is officially entering his 23rd NBA season, breaking the record he previously shared with Vince Carter. This will also mark his eighth year in purple and gold, and as always, the all-time leading scorer is doing it on his own terms.
There was buzz all offseason about whether he might take a pay cut—around $15 million—to help the Lakers reload, like he offered to do last summer when the team chased Klay Thompson. That move didn’t pan out, and while he did shave a bit off his salary to help them stay under the second apron, the Lakers didn’t land the kind of talent that would justify a deeper sacrifice. This time, LeBron’s going near-max—and now, all eyes are on how the Lakers build around him.
LeBron James is exercising his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @ShamsCharania on Sunday.
James, 40, is entering a record-setting 23rd NBA season and remains uncertain about whether he has one campaign left or wants to play… pic.twitter.com/vhVcNqxE9w
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 29, 2025
(This is a developing story…)
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