NBA Rumors: Are the Los Angeles Lakers Now the Clear Favorites to Sign LeBron James This Summer?
Recent trades have enabled the Lakers to open up even more cap space to use on free agents
For months, there have been rumblings that upcoming free agent LeBron James would neither keep his talents in Cleveland nor take them to South Beach but would instead carry them to California where he could be the next face of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The LeBron-to-the-Lakers rumors have persisted long enough to make it seem that the move is bound to happen, though it is obviously still far from guaranteed.
However, something that happened at the trade deadline may have just tilted the odds in favor of that LeBron-Lakers union taking place.
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Following a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Lakers have managed to offload some contracts that were previously taking up a significant chunk of their cap room.
To put it simply, the Lakers now have enough cap flexibility to do some interesting things this summer.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst put it in clearer terms: "The Cavaliers have just cleared a path for the Lakers to go after Paul George and LeBron James this summer."
Now that it is easier than ever for the Lakers to go to James and offer him an opportunity to sign with them and play with another superstar, is it inevitable that the four-time league MVP will soon be the next basketball great to wear purple and gold?
At the very least, that outcome now appears more realistic, but inevitable cannot be attached to it just yet.
The pull of home lured James back to Cleveland in the first place, and if the changes made by the Cavaliers at the deadline prove to be helpful, it is possible he will welcome the responsibility and challenge of continuing to lead the franchise.
It is also still possible that George may not go to the Lakers this summer, and if he does not go there, it will then be harder to imagine James signing with a team with promising young players but no other surefire star.
It also cannot be ruled out that teams like the Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers will make pitches to James as well, and he could be seeing a brighter future with one of those franchises.
Yes, James' path to the Lakers is now clear, but whether he will take it still remains a mystery.
