To say that a player who is set to make nearly $50 million this season is a bargain may sound pretentious, but that’s the conclusion that Jeanie Buss, the big ‘boss’ of the Lakers, has come to about her big star LeBron James.
No matter what ‘The King’ makes, according to Buss, he earns every penny, and not just for his performance as a player, but also as an ambassador for the Los Angeles team.
In a recent interview on the Petros and Money show on AM 570 LA Sports, Jeanie Buss praised LeBron for his ability to work despite being close to 40, and also the importance he has and has had in any success of the squad.
LeBron James brings value
In the interview Buss was asked about LeBron’s games not as a Lakers player, but as a member of the United States at the Olympic Games, if ‘The Chosen One’ is willing to stay on the national team: “I think he’s so competitive that it really has to be something he wants to do. We always support our players in the decisions they make regarding whether or not to play for their national team.”
The owner of one of the most valuable teams in American sports knows that LeBron doesn’t just play for the U.S. for himself, he does it as an ambassador for the Lakers: “It was a big deal for LeBron, and yes, he’s our highest paid player, but he’s still a bargain for me. It’s absolutely incredible.”
LeBron, who will be paid $48 million this season, is such a bargain that Buss would have paid him more if she could but the NBA salary cap prevents it: “Because we are a salary cap league, we can’t pay him more. He brings us notoriety in the League, but also internationally. He’s a great star and a great leader for this team.”