Lakers News: Expert Speculates On LA's Future If LeBron James Retires This Summer
Your Los Angeles Lakers -- and the NBA world at large -- were thrown for a major loop when LA All-NBA small forward LeBron James hinted that he might retire after a disappointing four-game Western Conference Finals sweep at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.
Though many experts across the league are skeptical about James actually giving up the $97.6 million in on-court salary cash he is owed across the next two years, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has gamed out some possible outcomes for the Lakers' roster should the 38-year-old Hall of Famer actually hang it up for good.
"He'll suit up next year," one rival Western Conference executive opined, per Pincus. "He just changed the conversation. Now we're not talking about a sweep; we're talking about LeBron and retirement. He loves to control the narrative."
"Give it a week," a different front office executive speculated. "Let's see if he's saying the same thing."
Pincus notes that James would surrender his salary and would be barred from un-retiring and joining another team for at least one season.
If James did retire and the Lakers let their non-restricted free agents walk this year (i.e. while retaining Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura), Pincus notes that LA could open up around $60 million in cap space to try to pursue another maximum-salary player and some more depth. Beyond the Lakers' unrestricted free agents (including D'Angelo Russell, Dennis Schröder, and Lonnie Walker IV), it's an interesting class, including James Harden, Fred VanVleet, Kyrie Irving, ex-Laker Kyle Kuzma, Jerami Grant, Jakob Poeltl, and Kristaps Porzingis.
The other route Pincus proposes is flipping Davis and replenishing LA's asset base. Even in this scenario, young talents with upside like Reaves and Hachimura should probably stay on the roster.
Pincus notes that even the Portland Trail Blazers (with the third pick) and Houston Rockets (with the fourth pick) could be interested in flipping their lottery selections (plus additional draft equity and veteran contracts to match salaries) for a two-way threat at AD's level. Though Pincus doesn't mention the Charlotte Hornets, who possess the second pick this year, a deal that sends Davis to Charlotte and the draft rights to Scoot Henderson this year could benefit both sides, at least in the opinion of yours truly.
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