Paul Pierce Makes Bold Claim Over Lakers’ LeBron James

LeBron James is entering his 23rd NBA season. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is also in the final year of his current contract, after opting into his $52.6 million player option earlier this summer.

According to former Boston Celtics champion Paul Pierce, this could be James’ last year in the NBA.

“If I’m a betting man, I think this will be his last season,” Pierce said. “You know, I think he’s played 21, 22 years. He’s been the GOAT for so long. He’s maintained the stats. We appreciate what he brought to the game and how he’s held the mantle since (Michael) Jordan left. Bron is one of them ones. We appreciate him. But I think his time is up. But we appreciate what he’s done for the league.”

James will turn 41 during the upcoming season. However, he’s shown few signs of slowing down on offense. During the 2024-25 campaign, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists on 51.3% shooting from the field and 37.6% from 3-point range.

While it’s true that James’ defense has taken a dip, his overall production is still at an elite level. Therefore, assuming he remains healthy, he can dictate the terms of his own exit from the league.

LeBron James Doesn’t Want To Leave The Lakers

Jared Greenberg of TNT, speaking via a recent episode of the “Good Word with Goodwill” podcast, recently explained why it’s clear that James wants to be in Los Angeles, despite reports to the contrary this summer.

“LeBron had the opportunity this summer to be a free agent and sign wherever he wanted,” Greenberg said. “… He didn’t want to sign for the minimum, he did not want to give away his no-trade clause. … Don’t then be confused as to why he’s still a Laker.”

Furthermore, it’s almost impossible for another team to trade for James this summer. As matching his salary would force a franchise to gut their roster, which would be counter-productive when signing a player in the final stretch of his career.

Nevertheless, James had the opportunity to leave the Lakers at the end of last season. The fact that he chose to stick around should tell you everything you need to know.

Lakers Are Building Around Doncic AND LeBron

When speaking to reporters during a news conference in Poland, Rob Pelinka made it clear that the Lakers are building around both James and Luka Doncic.

“Absolutely, the title next year is our plan,” Pelinka said. “With Doncic and LeBron, we have two top players. Now we want to build a real team around them…It was good to see new basketball players coming to training,” Pelinka said. “Deandre Ayton is a great reinforcement and such a center will be key for Luka’s passes. Marcus Smart will contribute on defense. But first, we want Luka to focus completely on this tournament with Slovenia. Then he can focus on the Lakers again.”

James has an opportunity to add another championship to his resume, especially now Doncic is also part of the rotation. Whether James sticks around beyond the upcoming season will remain a mystery, but for now, we should expect to see a driven and hungry version of the veteran superstar.

After all, another championship ring would further cement his legacy as the best player of all time.

Red Sox rumors: Insider says Boston, Alex Bregman remain perfect fit

After years of underachievement, the Boston Red Sox are finally back in the playoff hunt. Currently possessing the second AL Wild Card spot, if the season ended today, the Red Sox would play their hated rivals from the Bronx, the New York Yankees. Although Boston has lost their last two games, a three-game winning streak preceded it. Third baseman Alex Bregman’s first season with the Sox has been a strong one thus far. The former Houston Astro could opt out of his current contract this winter. MLB Network spoke with insider Jon Heyman on Bregman’s best potential fit in free agency, and shared Heyman’s take on X, formerly Twitter.

“What could Alex Bregman’s potential free agency look like?” posted the league network on Saturday. “‘I think he fits Boston perfectly… it does feel like Boston is the best fit.’- @JonHeyman.”

It’s easy to see why Heyman said the Red Sox would be Bregman’s best fit. The 31-year-old is nearing the tail end of his physical prime. However, his skillset is one that should age well, particularly at Fenway Park. After the trade of former franchise star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in June, Bregman has once again become a clubhouse leader, like he was in Houston. Can Scott Boras, the third baseman’s agent, work out a deal with the Boston front office to avoid an opt out this winter? Or will Bregman once again explore free agency?

Can Red Sox hammer out new deal with Alex Bregman, Scott Boras?

Boras is notorious for letting his clients explore free agency rather than sign an extension. The majority of the time, that is the tactic that baseball’s super-agent likes to take. Even though Bregman will turn 32 in March, there are still plenty of teams that would pursue him on the open market. The Yankees would certainly be one, as the trade acquisition of Ryan McMahon before the deadline hasn’t worked out as well as New York would have liked.

Whether it’s the Red Sox, Yankees or another team, the likelihood of Bregman not going to a contender is slim. Based on his age, it feels like a resigning, especially if both sides can strike an agreement before the opt out. For now though, the focus is on Bregman helping lead Boston back to the postseason. Will the Red Sox finish the deal and clinch October baseball in the coming weeks? If so, don’t be surprised to see the third baseman remain at Fenway Park past this season.

Continue reading