LeBron James will not have a no-trade clause in his two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
James has enjoyed having a no-trade clause in his most recent Los Angeles Lakers contract, as well as in his past stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It seems like a no-brainer to offer James an NTC since he signed the veterans’ minimum to join the 76ers, but it turns out that there wasn’t a way to include that in this deal.
Why can’t LeBron James have a no-trade clause with the Philadelphia 76ers?
ESPN’s Bobby Marks shared the rules regarding the eligibility for a no-trade clause in the NBA, under which James wasn’t eligible, as the league requires a player to spend four seasons with a franchise before earning a no-trade clause.
“Unlike his prior stops in Cleveland and LA Lakers, LeBron James was not allowed to include a No Trade Clause in his contract with Philadelphia. NTC rule: 8 years in the NBA and 4 years with the signing team.”
James also didn’t get an NTC on the Lakers until the second half of his contract, as he wasn’t eligible for one until after the 2021-22 season.
While he can’t protect himself unilaterally by exercising a veto over any trade he’s involved in next season, he does have a 15% trade kicker, which he will be entitled to if he is traded.
Even if the 76ers’ season is going badly, it’s hard to imagine they’ll trade LeBron on a minimum contract.
His commercial presence is already more viable than his massively discounted contract, so it wouldn’t even make sense for the 76ers to even swap him out with a mid-season trade for any productive player making the same amount.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists last season. Even with a slight regression in form, it’s still more than great value for a minimum contract.
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