When the Lakers were eliminated by the Nuggets 1-4, the question of James's stay became a hot topic in the NBA!
James' contract for the 2024-25 season is a player option, with an annual salary of 51.4 million!
For the 39-year-old Zhan, where he goes depends on which team his son Bronny will be selected this year.
He has said more than once that his biggest dream is to realize that father and son are on the same stage. Therefore, the Lakers have decided to use their first-round pick 25 to select Bronny.
But the question is, who can guarantee that Bronny will not be selected in the top 24? After all, buy one get one free, Bronny gets James!
Also, don't underestimate James' ambitions.
In addition to Lao Zhan's dream of playing in the NBA with his son, he also wants to win another championship at the end of his career to add a strong chip to his GOAT position.
As a result, it is possible that all 29 other teams in the NBA will choose Bronny!
But the team that selected Bronny, if it does not have the absolute strength to win the championship, James still will not choose to go. Instead, he will let the team he is about to join trade his son over.
At the moment, the Thunder could be the dark horse to cut off Hu James, a team with four first-round picks in 2024!
The Thunder ranked first in the West in the regular season this season, and the team's star has become the league's first-class top star, and Jalen Williams and Holmgren are future NBA All-Stars.
Although the Thunder have top-level talent, the team lacks playoff experience, and it will be difficult to win the championship this year, after all, the Nuggets in the West are difficult opponents to beat.
Today's Thunder is only one step away from winning the championship, and if they can get James this summer, the Thunder will basically book the NBA championship next season.
As a small ball city, the Thunder has spent 12 years since the Thunder had three young players in 2012 before they formed a lineup with the strength to win the championship through draft training.
In order to avoid the loss of young stars due to salary space, the Thunder must cherish these 1-2 years, complete the rich first round to monetize, and quickly win the NBA championship.
Therefore, going all out to get James this summer is the best choice for the Thunder.