LeBron James is in the twilight of his NBA career, and the hype around his retirement has been taking over social media. After 23 seasons in the league, King James has achieved almost every accolade on the court. But can he become the highest-paid athlete in the world in the final year of his career?
Cristiano Ronaldo takes the top spot among the highest-paid athletes. The Al Nassr forward earns a total of around $275 million from his current contract and off-court earnings, as per Forbes. James, however, is guaranteed $52 million this year in salary, but his total earnings might shoot up in his retirement year.
Will LeBron James surpass Cristiano Ronaldo next year in earnings?
As per Anthony Lima, a Cleveland-based journalist, media executives stated that James’ final retirement tour might attract about $40-75 million due to a streaming bidding war. Several OTT platforms like Netflix might be keen to capture the King James retirement tour in the NBA with a title-contending team.
On the other hand, several rumors have suggested that LBJ might have to take paycut if he wants to play with the Lakers next season. The team is already accommodating Luka Doncic’s contract, and Austin Reaves is also due for a max contract this offseason.
This might put the 4-time NBA champion in a difficult position due to the team’s cap structure. Even with a paycut, LBJ can be compensated if he decides the 2026-27 season be his last in the league.
LBJ makes around $85 million from off-court earnings, and if he decides next year to be his final, he can add upto $75 million to his earnings, along with $50 million in salary. This would take his total to around $210 million. If Ronaldo’s contract, which is scheduled to end in 2027, remains intact, the 22-time NBA All-Star still won’t be able to overcome Ronaldo but will come too close to him.
The Lakers are fifth in the Western Conference and look to make a deep postseason run this season after the All-Star break. Doncic was out of the rotation before the break and can return to the team to make a final push to the playoffs.
READ MORE: Will LeBron James Return to the Lakers Next Season? Jeanie Buss Makes Honest Admission
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