There is one aspect of Lebron's self-assessment that perhaps he doesn't take into account when considering his compensation v. his value. It's a component that many NBA players may take for granted and perhaps don't really appreciate in terms of its value. I am speaking of the long-term, guaranteed contract.
Lebron James will receive about $80M over the next 4 years (if he decides to play out this contract). Every single day one of a hundred things could happen to him that could cause him to be unspeakably OVERPAID. That is actual value as far as I am concerned.
Unlike the rest of us, Lebron will receive a paycheck for the next 4 years no matter what. As a comparison, I as a self-employed person will not make a penny tomorrow if I am for any reason unable to perform my tasks. Many of you have the benefit of being compensated for sick time and get paid while on vacation. But how many of you have a guaranteed contract for the next 4 years? 4 weeks?
Lebron may be underpaid for the reasons already stated, but I doubt when he speaks of his circumstances that he takes into account the unbelievable benefit of the guarantee of $20M over the next 4 years regardless of whether he is injured, otherwise rendered unable to play, or if his skills deteriortate.
I think you over-blowing this tremdously. There is nothing in the CBA that says all contracts must be garaunteed. In fact, there are plenty of contracts in the NBA that are only partially garaunteed.
LeBron has a fully garaunteed contract because he's that darn good, and his talents are not easily replaced. When you have an ability to do something better than pretty much anyone else in the wolrd, you get to name your price (to a point).
Not overblowing this at all -- never mind tremendously. Just making a true point -- multiple years of guaranteed money has value beyond the current numbers.
This is great in theory, but realistically, if Lebron were to hit the open market overseas, and there was no cap in the NBA...he'd be looking at 50-80 million a year at least- guaranteed.
He's disgustingly underpaid. Baseball players and football/soccer players make way more.
He's the best player in the world representing a company that makes its owners and directors millions of dollars. I don't know how the numbers lay out but they've got to be making 1 billion a year or at least turning over a few billion. Surely Lebron as the focal point should make more than 15-20 million from his contract, and I'm using other sports as a comparison.