LeBron James has possibly had the best first 13 seasons to a career in NBA history. He has won four NBA MVP Awards, 3 NBA titles, 3 NBA Finals MVP awards, 10 All-NBA 1st Teams and has scored more points in the NBA than anyone since he entered in 2003.
Despite all of this success, he has never been the highest paid player in the game, until Thursday.
After taking his sweet time and basking in the glow of his 3rd NBA title, LeBron re-signed with the Cavaliers to the tune of a three-year, $100 million contract.
Lebron James to re-sign with Cleveland Cavaliers in $100 million deal https://t.co/DekMQxRAfy
— TIME (@TIME) August 12, 2016
Here is a listing of the highest paid players in the NBA at the moment with LeBron’s new deal.
A deal fit for a king.
For the first time in his career, LeBron James is the NBA's highest-paid player. pic.twitter.com/aIlfQbqwxF
— ESPN (@espn) August 12, 2016
He announced the deal on Uninterrupted (the multimedia site he owns). He is also wearing the specially made Kermit the Frog sipping a championship trophy hat which is a not so subtle jab to his haters, saying “How can you hate on me after winning a title in Cleveland and becoming the highest paid player in NBA history? But that’s none of my business.”
BREAKING NEWS: @KingJames announces on UNINTERRUPTED he will sign a new deal with the @Cavs.https://t.co/CXZ5qFK5o6
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) August 11, 2016
He also fittingly joins a very select “$30 million club” which includes two players he is often measured against…
.@KingJames in some elite company after agreeing to his new deal
WATCH: https://t.co/p7x46tseFK pic.twitter.com/6GeRwEx4rb
— NBA.com (@NBAcom) August 12, 2016
Crazy to think Jordan made that almost 20 years ago even though he was more than worth it.
LeBron will make $33.3 million in the 2017-18 season, and the final season of the contract in 2018-19 contains a player option and will pay him $35.6 million per season potentially.
One has to assume the contract also includes every other player friendly benefit such as a no-trade clause and a 15 percent trade kicker.
LeBron is now the highest paid player in the NBA history, as he should be, considering his success on the court, the new bargaining agreement and surplus of money that teams have to spend.
Who knows what LeBron true financial value is to the Cavaliers, the city of Cleveland, and the NBA, but it is safe to assume it is far north of $33 million per season.
