Under normal circumstances, a team signing LeBron James would be a moment to celebrate.
Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team ended up keeping James after missing out on any significant additions in the first wave of free agency.
The four-time NBA MVP agreed to a two-year, $104 million deal that includes a player option for the 2025-26 season and a full no-trade clause to remain with the Lakers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Fan reaction to the move focused on teasing a possible championship in 2024-25, as the Lakers are set to win again with most of the roster from a team that finished eighth in the Western Conference last season.
Prior to James' deal, the Lakers had not made a signing this free agency period. They signed restricted free agent Max Christie to a four-year, $32 million contract just before free agency began.
There were also rumors that James might take a pay cut if the Lakers could sign a player who would strengthen the team.
James' agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that James is “prioritizing roster improvement” and is “committed to doing everything we can to improve the roster.”
McMenamin cited players like James Harden, Klay Thompson and Jonas Valanciunas as players James would be willing to shell out some money for if it would help him land with the Lakers.
Harden agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, Valanciunas will join the Washington Wizards on a three-year, $30 million contract and Thompson will go to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets.
DeMar DeRozan is probably the best free agent around at the moment, but he doesn't solve the Lakers' three-point shooting needs, and there are also questions about how spacing would work if DeRozan was stuck in the mid-range on a team with James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers still have one notable trade piece they could use to bolster their depth: D'Angelo Russell agreed to a $18.7 million salary for next season, making him a prime candidate for a move.
But now the Lakers are returning 11 of their top 13 scoring averages from last season, a team that went 47-35 and made the playoffs before losing in the first round to the Denver Nuggets.
Optimism for a championship in 2024-25 doesn't seem high right now, but at least Lakers fans can continue to watch James play.
