The first real domino in the Lakers’ offseason just fell today as Austin Reaves is set to sign a four-year, $185 million deal to return to the purple and gold. Lakers president Rob Pelinka will now likely turn his full attention to LeBron James, who is an unrestricted free agent. Below, we will take a look at how realistic it is that the King resigns with the Lakers, or if he could legitimately wind up elsewhere.
LeBron James back to the Lakers rumors
Good news for the Lakers fans that want LeBron to return for the 2026-27 season. The Reaves contract agreement has zero impact on the Lakers’ cap flexibility this summer as the team’s projected salary cap space already takes into account Reaves’ $20.9 million cap hold.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne discussed LeBron potentially returning to the Lakers on SportsCenter this past Sunday.
“LA is the first team he can talk to because he’s their own free agent,” Shelburne said. “And my understanding is that they had initial conversations with LeBron James’ representatives, but he has not even fully committed to returning next year in these conversations. The conversations were described to me as, ‘we’re keeping in touch. So there’s no commitment to even returning or salary figures being discussed. I think that’s been interpreted as something like, ‘LeBron is still assessing his options.’ Whether that is retirement or whether that is other teams. And if there are other teams that he’s looking at, what does that money look like?”
The Lakers can offer LeBron more money than any other team, but Pelinka will surely want LeBron to take some sort of pay cut. Negotiating a pay cut with LeBron’s representatives could prove to be tricky, considering he and his camp are notoriously sensitive to perceived slights.
“Somebody cautioned me,” Shelburne continued. “There’s a story that Dave McMenamin wrote about how [LeBron] doesn’t feel respected necessarily for some of the sacrifices that he made as the ‘third player’ here in LA behind Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. How would [LeBron] swallow any kind of a pay cut? Even if it’s more than any other team could give him. Even if it’s $30 million, well, that’s still $22 million less than he made last year, and I think that’s really what they’re trying to weigh.”
LeBron James back to the Cavs rumors
LeBron to the Cavs rumors heated up again on Wednesday when ESPN’s Brian Windhorst discussed a potential sign-and-trade that Cleveland and the Lakers could concoct.
“There is a thought process out there in Los Angeles, and I think if the Cavs were interested in this the Lakers would sit up at attention right now. That they would sign-and-trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen,” Windhorst said on ESPN Cleveland. “I think if the Cavs were willing to do that … obviously LeBron would have to sign with the Cavs … but your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him. The Lakers would KILL for Jarrett Allen. They would do that deal in seventeen-tenths of a second.”
LeBron back to the Heat rumors
LeBron’s interest in a reunion in South Beach likely increased this week when Pat Riley pulled off the trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson wrote this week about a path for the Heat to re-sign LeBron.
“If Norman Powell leaves or if Andrew Wiggins opts out and signs elsewhere, Miami would be able to offer nearly all or all of its full $15.5 million midlevel exception without exceeding the $209 million ‘first apron’ salary threshold, the number which Miami cannot surpass next season,” Jackson wrote. “The Heat could try to lure impending free agent LeBron James with its full midlevel exception, but a James return is considered a longshot.”
LeBron James to the Warriors rumors
Per Shelburne’s reporting, it does not appear like LeBron is currently anywhere close to re-signing with the Lakers. If we get to June 30, when the NBA’s legal tampering period begins, the Warriors could seriously be in play for LeBron.
Golden State can offer the full $15.1 million nontaxpayer midlevel. LeBron is also tight with Steph Curry, who could openly recruit the King.
Of note, the Warriors drafted Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg on Tuesday night. It’s an indication that Golden State is “going for it” this coming season instead of entering a rebuild. Lendeborg is very much seen as a “win now” player.
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