LeBron James could make $34 million in single season after new TV deal

LeBron James could make $34 million in single season after the NBA’s new TV deal.

The NBA’s brand new $24 billion television deal with Turner and ESPN will have some major ramifications for player salaries, with the salary cap estimated to jump to $84 million for the 2016-17 season.

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The player who will likely be the biggest beneficiary of this: LeBron James. The Cleveland Cavaliers forward accepted a two-year deal this offseason in order to make himself a free agent before the 2016-17 season, knowing the TV and increased money was coming.

Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck reports that LeBron James could earn as much as $34 million in the last year of a contract signed with the new salary cap.

"Based on one team’s estimates, James could earn $28 million as a free agent in 2016—a 36 percent leap from his current salary. Assuming a four-year deal with maximum raises, James would earn an NBA-record $34 million in the final season, the most any player has earned in the max-contract era.Michael Jordan made a record $33 million in 1997-98, the season before the NBA capped individual salaries."

The insane part about all of this is that LeBron James would still be a bargain at $34 million per year, given how much money he makes whichever franchise he plays with and the winning his presence basically guarantees for that team.

Regardless, $34 million in a season would certainly be better than what LeBron James will make this year and has in past years. LeBron James will make $20,644,400 this season with Cleveland. Not exactly chump change, but LeBron James is worth much more.

LeBron James averaged 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game this past season with the Miami Heat.

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