James executes player options, Lakers reinforcement restrictions and salary value become the focus

James is expected to execute the player option and stay in the Lakers

to crush the Lakers, here it!

According to SHAMS, a famous paparazzi in the NBA, James is likely to choose to execute the $52.6 million player option next season. What does that mean?

This means that the Lakers' path to strengthening will be completely over

No need to say, I know, when talking about James' salary issue, some fans are impatient to speak again:

"You know, what do you know, James's 52.6 million actually only accounts for 35 million of the Lakers' salary space. Even if James retires on the spot, the Lakers can only free up 16 million US dollars at most. What can you buy for 16 million?"

Low level! This whitewashing method is too low-level!

Let me briefly analyze the Lakers' salary situation. Why will the Lakers' path to strengthening be completely over once James chooses to execute the player option?

After James chose the execution player option, the total amount of the Lakers' guarantee contract has reached US$189 million

Note that this does not include the electric fan Fan Fan's contract next season. The electric fan holds a player option of US$15.38 million in 2025-26. Given the performance of the electric fan last season, if Pelinka was not kicked by a donkey, he would definitely find ways to persuade the electric fan to execute the player option and steadily accept the 15.38 million US dollars

Then in this way, the Lakers' total salary for guaranteed contracts will reach a terrifying $196 million, which will perfectly surpass the NBA's first tyrant line next season (195.9 million), which will bring two irreversible results to the Lakers

First. Next season, the Lakers will not be able to use the full middle class to strengthen, and can only use the 5.7 million US dollars of mini middle class

I would like to ask Lakers fans, in this era, who can you sign?

Several center players that Lakers fans covet, Gafford, next season, $14.37 million, Pelter, next season, $19.5 million, Myers Turner, next season, his net worth will definitely not be less than $25 million of $5.7 million, if he wants to sign a good center, not even a fraction, the second and most important point, according to the relevant NBA salary regulations, if a team's total salary exceeds the first tyrant line, then the league will confiscate the team's power to package transactions? In other words, the Lakers cannot change more and less. To put it bluntly, Antetokounmpo, the Lakers should not think about it

So, once James chooses the execution player option, what is waiting for the Lakers is chronic death

Of course, what we discussed above are the consequences of James' execution player option to the team. Then there is another key question we have not discussed: Is

James worth the $52.6 million contract?

I will share with you two data here

First, last season James' total plus-minus value of -54, averaged -0.8

second, in the five games in the playoffs, James' total plus-minus value was -41. When James was not on the court, the Lakers beat the Timberwolves 8 points. When James was on the court, the Lakers lost 41 points

So is James worth the $52.6 million contract? Please make your own judgment!