FS1 analyst Skip Bayless goes after LeBron James for his new extension deal with the Lakers, claims their title chances are doomed
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The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t have the season they expected last year. Despite forming a Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, the Lakers ended up with a 33-49 record. There was a huge blame game after the season ended, with many fingers pointing at Westbrook.
Going into the 2022-23 season, the Lakers seem to have a fragile situation in the locker room. They also have many more new faces to play with their Big 3. However, the Lakers made a move to lock down the one consistent piece they have.
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Recently, the Purple and Gold signed LBJ to a 2-year, $97 million extension. The deal has a player option for the 2024-25 season(the expected year Bronny gets drafted). This extension gets added to the final year of the previous deal, locking the King down for at least the next two seasons, and hopefully a third too.
Skip Bayless bashes LeBron James for demanding so much money
The news of LeBron’s extension was received differently by different people. While a lot agree that LBJ deserves that money, others claim that he could’ve taken a paycut. A paycut might help in signing stars, that can help LeBron win ring #5.
Skip Bayless was of the latter category. Seeing the extension deal, Skip did the absolute favorite thing in the world: use this as ammo to hate on LeBron even further.
LeBron will make $200 million more than Brady … in 2 fewer seasons! That’s bc Brady took a winner’s discount to make his team better. So did Tim Duncan his last 4 yrs: 10 mil, 10 mil, 10 mil, 6 mil. Billionaire Bron: almost 50 mil in Yr 20 & 21! Lakers: no shot. Congrats, King
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 19, 2022
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While Skip does have a point, the Lakers not making an active effort to build a winning team around LeBron could have been the motivation behind LBJ demanding the money he did. We cannot judge LeBron for saying ‘f**k it’ and getting the $50 million a year his peers are getting.