James set for big finale with son

CLEVELAND • LeBron James wants to spend his final year in the National Basketball Association (NBA) playing on a team alongside his son Bronny, according to an interview with The Athletic published on Saturday.

The four-time NBA champion, in Cleveland for yesterday's All-Star Game, is not interested in accepting a discount after his current contract with the Los Angeles Lakers expires but said in the report he would make an exception.

"My last year will be played with my son," James said in the report.

"Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."

The younger James is a point guard playing high school basketball and, based on current rules, would be eligible to be drafted by an NBA team in 2024, when his father will be 39.

The four-time Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) also did not rule out a return to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, for a third spell.

He was drafted by the Cavs in 2003 and played for them until 2010, when as a free agent he joined the Miami Heat, where he won two championships.

He returned to Cleveland in 2014, helping them to their only ring in 2016, before joining the Lakers in 2018 and winning the title two years later.

James, whose contract with the Lakers runs until the 2022-23 season, has averaged a team-high 29.1 points per game this season, putting him on pace for his best scoring average since 2010, when he recorded 29.7 points per game.

That ranks him third in scoring, half a point a game behind leader Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. Last season's Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is second on 29.4 points per game.

"I can't explain the groove that I'm in right now offensively. I guess just playing some good basketball," James said.

"Just trying to be efficient. I'm not just out there jacking up a bunch of shots.

"I work on my craft. I'm trying to see ways that I can continue to stay in great rhythm and ways I can continue to get better. Even at my age, I'm never satisfied."

The Lakers are off to a 27-31 start to stand ninth in the Western Conference in a campaign where injuries to James and Anthony Davis have affected the club and Covid-19 protocols have added to the uncertainties.

"Every season has its own mental and physical challenges," James said.

"This is the strangest season I've been a part of so far. I don't want to just talk about the injuries but Covid protocols. You have guys go out for false positives.

"You have had guys go out for real reasons. We've had our head coach be out for several games. We've had a little bit of everything."

Meanwhile, at the All-Star weekend on Saturday, the big men dominated the skills competitions.

Karl-Anthony Towns, a centre for the Minnesota Timberwolves, was the winner of the three-point contest while power forward Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks won the slam dunk competition.

The skills competition was determined based on Cleveland Cavaliers centre Evan Mobley's half-court shot.

Towns, who is listed at 2.11m, said he was motivated to prevail in the shooting competition.

"I always said I'm up there with the best-shooting big men of all time," he said. "I needed this trophy to prove it."

REUTERS