NBA Rumors: Lakers and LeBron James, Until the End?

There have been rumors bubbling up throughout this NBA season suggesting that the Los Angeles Lakers, as they careen into the future with Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise, will seek to move on from star LeBron James in the offseason. But finding a team that can handle absorbing James into its infrastructure, and a franchise for which he’d be willing to play, is not necessarily an easy match.

Back in February, we pointed out that there were three obvious choices for a LeBron swan song: one last turn with his hometown Cavaliers, another go-round with the Miami Heat, or a union with Stephen Curry in Golden State, a sort-of legends tour for that pairing.

We also highlighted four others that had been cited–in an exercise in informed speculation–by league executives. Those were the Knicks and Clippers, as top potential suitors, with the Nets and Mavericks as darker horses in the James chase, but worth watching.

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LeBron James Could Have Several Destinations

On Tuesday, ESPN compiled a redux of potential destinations for James, with much the same list. They cite the Knicks, Warriors and Clippers, too, as possibilities, with the Cavaliers being the obvious spot. ESPN did not mention the Heat, and that’s sensible–there are still tensions between James and the franchise, and a reunion there is unlikely.

ESPN did mention the Nuggets as an “intriguing” option. James in Denver, though, doesn’t quite seem to fit.

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Lakers, LeBron James Would Have to Work Out Contract

The best bet, though, according to executives now, is still James returning to the Lakers. Certainly, the way the team has played lately–with 12 wins in 13 games–has given some hope that the trio of Austin Reaves (also a free agent), Doncic and James can work. The fact that Bronny James has looked more comfortable with even a small role for the Lakers, too, could push James to find a way to stay put.

It won’t be an easy thing, though. James likely will have to sacrifice.

“As good as LeBron is, there isn’t the money out there for him, with the Lakers or with anyone,” one Western Conference executive said. “They’ve got to say to him, ‘Look, we can’t just give you $55 million a year, we’ve got to cut that in half,’ and they’ll have to figure that out. He can say no, but he’s not going to get that somewhere else. If they can work all that out, he is going to find he has got the best situation for himself where he is.”

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Lakers Making Themselves Attractive

An Eastern Conference GM held out the possibility that James could find himself back in Cleveland, but again, it would be on a bargain deal. “And I am not sure he wants to do that, spend the whole year getting ready, dealing with all the stuff off the floor that he has to deal with just being LeBron James, and taking in, you know, the $6 million exception to do it,” the GM said.

One factor that could swing James to give the Lakers another go, the GM said, is the Lakers’ new ownership under Mark Walter, who is retooling the front office and bringing in a new power structure.

“The new group is already more organized than the Lakers have been under the (Buss family) in a long, long time,” the GM said. “It’d be hard to leave if you’re LeBron James in that situation and you’re watching a much more professional organization being put in after having been there for seven years under the old organization, which was, you know, messy sometimes. The Lakers are making themselves a more attractive place to play.

‘It just seems like all the factors are pushing LeBron to stay where he is.”

 

 

 

 

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney