NBA Rumors: Why LeBron James Going to the Los Angeles Lakers This Offseason Now Seems Highly Unlikely
Notion of James signing with the Lakers next summer described by some as a 'longshot'
One of the more interesting NBA rumors that has persisted throughout this season is the one linking LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Perhaps it has persisted because it is such a juicy rumor.
The best basketball player in the world going to arguably the league's most popular franchise is a captivating notion in so many ways, ranging from the revival of the franchise storyline to James potentially taking his place among the Laker greats.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Many Laker fans are hoping that the fantasy of signing James can become a reality next summer, but they may want to temper their expectations as that is far from guaranteed to happen.
In a recent article, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst even passed along some information from league sources who regarded the possibility of James becoming a member of the Lakers next season as a "longshot."
So why exactly do some people around the league consider James signing with the Lakers next summer unlikely?
There are some possible reasons for why that is the case.
For one, the 2017-18 batch of Lakers has not been that good. Though the team has improved this season, they are still far from being ready to contend seriously for the NBA title. Even just making the playoffs this season for this current iteration of the team is going to require a remarkable turnaround, and even if they make it there, they are likely going to be a quick out.
On top of that, Lonzo Ball, a player who has more than a few fans and who analysts hint could be the future of the Lakers franchise, has fallen short of the preseason hype. While Ball could end up becoming a highly capable point guard in the NBA, those superstar projections are not looking too good at the moment.
Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma are young Lakers who also hold promise, but the other members of the roster seem to lack the same kind of star potential.
To put it simply, how the Lakers' roster will look like in a few years remains highly uncertain and James does not exactly have the time to see how things turn out, not when he is still chasing championships and records.
From a basketball perspective, becoming a Laker next season does not seem like the best move for James and that may be enough to steer him elsewhere.
More news about the latest NBA rumors should be made available soon.
