Los Angeles Lakers: Latest free agency rumors on LeBron James, Paul George, more
LeBron James already set on heading westward?
Now if you listened to the entire Stephen A. Smith segment, then you probably also heard his latest insight into LeBron’s free agency plans. For those of you who were too busy, here’s a condensed version with the juicy little tidbit:
According to Stephen A. Smith and his "sources", Chris Paul has started telling people that LeBron James isn't trying to come to Houston because he wants to be in Los Angeles. https://t.co/VCt8JiLidM pic.twitter.com/OUOU0hebS9
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) June 18, 2018
Take it for what you will. If there’s anyone who knows James’ intentions outside of his immediate family, it’s Chris Paul. They’re part of the Banana Boat crew, and have long been rumored to want to play together. There were even rumblings earlier in the offseason of them potentially pairing up with the Lakers (via the New York Times’ Marc Stein), but that’s highly unlikely.
The more important takeaway here, in my opinion, is that the Houston Rockets are a long shot to sign LeBron. I already claimed I wasn’t buying them as a legitimate option, and I stand by it. They don’t have the financial flexibility needed to get him under contract without gutting their roster. Wouldn’t that leave James in a similar predicament to what he just faced in Cleveland?
Meanwhile, the Lakers aren’t in nearly as dire of a cap space situation. They’ve actually got the most room in the league heading into 2018-19. That’s why they offer so much appeal with the potential to sign two superstars. It makes plenty of sense for LeBron to be targeting Los Angeles as his next destination, whether or not Smith is to be believed.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Final edition
It’s going to be an offseason for the ages. The 2018 NBA Draft is nearly upon us, and 2018 free agency starts not long after that. Get your popcorn ready!