Just don’t hold your breath for that announcement.
James seems unlikely to sign an extension this week. Or the week after. Or the week after that. Why? For starters, he doesn’t have to. Thursday isn’t a deadline. It’s the first day James can sign the extension. The last day? June 30th. Which means James has roughly ten months to agree to a new two-year, $97.1 million extension. If he doesn’t, he will hit free agency … when he can sign a three-year contract with the Lakers—or any other NBA team—next summer.
Frankly, there’s little upside to an extension.