One former LeBron James teammate is trying his best to peer into the crystal ball.
Retired former Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Iman Shumpert appeared this week on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” During the show, Shumpert made a notable prediction about James’ future — that James will end up taking a pay cut for next season.
“I think Bron, if you can make it make sense of what you’re gonna do, LeBron will take a pay cut,” said Shumpert. “LeBron likes winning. He’s going to make the money [regardless].”
Shumpert played with James on the Cavs from 2015-18, winning an NBA championship together in 2016. His prediction comes with James playing out the final season of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers at $52.6 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.
At 41 years old, James will probably be looking for a team to host an extended retirement tour for him in 2026-27. While James has hardly ever taken any pay cuts over the course of his 23-year NBA career (save for the early part of his tenure with the Miami Heat), the equation might be a little bit different next season.
Earlier this week, we learned that James could end up making an eye-watering sum through the media streaming rights to his farewell tour alone. While many believe that James will ultimately sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers for his final NBA season, a pay cut would also open up the potential of another year with the Lakers (given that they reportedly want him back at a lower salary).
