Calling this season’s Lakers a disappointment would be an understatement, and with the organization in a state of flux (thanks, Magic Johnson!), it’s anyone’s guess how this offseason will go for Los Angeles.
It appears LeBron James has some thoughts.
There are plenty of stars set to hit free agency this summer, among them Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard. And according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, James already is touching base with the latter two to try and sell them on the Lakers.
“From what I understand, he has already begun the recruiting process,” Windhorst said Thursday on “Pardon The Interruption,” via RealGM. “I have heard he has had contact with Kawhi Leonard. I have heard he has had contact with Jimmy Butler. There’s no tampering enforcement by players. While Magic Johnson, the guy who got trouble for tampering before is no longer there, LeBron is tamperer-in-chief of the Lakers right now. The thing about it is, I don’t know if texts and calls and maybe a dinner with LeBron is enough for the Lakers to overcome the hurdles they’re going to have.
“I just don’t think the Lakers can be choosy. To be honest, I think the Lakers really have to look at the trade market. Would they be willing to make an offer Bradley Beal? Would they be willing to make an offer for a guy like DeMar Rozan who could possibly be on the trade block depending on whether the Spurs want to extend his contract? Would they be willing to wait for Anthony Davis a year from now?”
Both Leonard and Butler likely will have plenty of suitors, so we’ll have to see how good of a salesman James is.
