nicklovin508 | Celtics

436 | 21 hours ago

That does seem like the bare minimum a front office should do..

ThinReply2047 | Thunder

95 | 21 hours ago

He’s gonna try and figure out how to trade Ayton, Knecht and a 2031 1st for Jokic

BrotherSeamus | Thunder

36 | 20 hours ago

The new TT, Shump, Nets pick

Smooth_Specialist416

3 | 19 hours ago

That was such a funny era I wonder if there was trade packages like that from pre social media that coulda been memeable like this one

rfgrunt | Nuggets

11 | 20 hours ago

He could also just come play for the nuggets? I think that would be fun

freshBlueeyes6391

3 | 19 hours ago

exactly what i wrote before reading yours, dang.

He’s a UFA, go play with whatever team floats your boat that wil take you.

xmrjaredx | Lakers

4 | 20 hours ago

Worked for Luka 🤷‍♂️

freshBlueeyes6391

5 | 19 hours ago

Why doesn’t he just go offer his services to the Nuggets?

joe4553 | Lakers

2 | 17 hours ago

Make our defense even worse. Score over 140 a game or lose.

S21500003 | Bucks

1 | 5 hours ago

I mean, with AR, Luka, Bron, and Jokic that just might be possible

yitur93 | Lakers

12 | 21 hours ago

Now Laker fans expect Lakers to go through draft cycle and draft someone or trade the pick.

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

18 | 19 hours ago

“draft someone or trade the pick”

Of course Lakers fans would expect one of those 2 to happen, they’re the only options.

yitur93 | Lakers

7 | 19 hours ago

Yeah I was going for water is wet.

Antisystemization | Cavaliers

2 | 19 hours ago

Breaking news: LeBron expects the front office to do front office things.

Ralf_E_Chubbs | 76ers

2 | 18 hours ago

Concept of a plan

NoInternal6516

2 | 13 hours ago

Right? Like “we have a plan” should be step one, not something you have to ask for. Feels like that’s been half the Lakers’ problem the last few years.

TingusPingus_6969

1 | 12 hours ago

when the person who builds your roster is PelinKunt……….

DynamicProxy

0 | 19 hours ago

It’s also what they have done in the past and there is no reason to believe it’s not what they are planning to do now.

Edit to add: You all are lame as all heck. OP asked for an opinion. I gave an opinion. And you downvoted it. The same people who are vehemently anti-AI, don’t understand why I’d want a piece of nature, untouched by human slop?!! Ok. Lame asses. I’m done with this lame ass sub.

[deleted]

119 | 21 hours ago

[deleted]

AfroManHighGuy

26 | 20 hours ago

Ah the Aaron rodgers method

CutLonzosHair2017 | LAL

23 | 18 hours ago

Once LeBron said he wasn’t going to make a decision until late July or August, there was only one way this was going to play out. Which is the Lakers build a team sans LeBron and then offer him left over money to see if he wants to join. And unless the Lakers do a horrendous job, he will join.

If LeBron cared about money, he wouldn’t be waiting until late July or August once cap space has already filled up. And if he had a preplanned destination like the Warriors or the Cavs, he wouldn’t be waiting until July or August.

Diqt | Toronto Huskies

3 | 16 hours ago

Since the Miami discount he has always cared about the money and hasn’t indicated any different yet. The thought of Bron taking “whatever’s left” seems a stretch.

Maybe he takes a discount I don’t know but I figure they’ll take care of him sooner and they’ll meticulously spin it as a power move than a leftovers move

FlipSide26 | Australia

2 | 14 hours ago

I get that, but he’s also a billionaire so 40m might not mean as much to him at 41 as it did to him at 30

Cultural_Tank_6947 | Warriors

1 | 9 hours ago

Pragmatically he’s going to have to take whatever is left. None of the other realistic teams can offer him much more than what Bronny makes.

The Lakers know this, and they also know he’s not going to be around for more than a year or two.

So unless LeBron really wants to go play with Steph or in Cleveland and is willing to take the veterans minimum, the whatever’s left is the best option.

Unless of course the NBA takes no action against the Clippers, in which case he’s taking the veterans minimum plus a $100M likeness only endorsement deal where no ads are actually filmed.

juanmaale | Cavaliers

1 | 17 hours ago

if he didn’t care about money, he would take the mid level and join the cavs or someone else

watawataoui

5 | 16 hours ago

There is still uprooting from LA and having to live in Cleveland again.

banneddan1 | Cavaliers

4 | 16 hours ago

As if he sold his Cleveland house lol

SpicyMustard34 | Cavaliers

2 | 15 hours ago

he still has his NEO properties. Gloria James is Ohio.

Commercial_Show_6997

1 | 13 hours ago

Uproot? As if he doesn’t already have everything he needs at his Akron mansion lol

jman009 | Clippers

104 | 21 hours ago

He gone

Skip_To_My_Lou2 | LAL

48 | 21 hours ago

He stay

LaMelonBallz | Hornets

17 | 21 hours ago

He agonize

EarthWarping | NBA

19 | 21 hours ago

Yeah, if he wants max he will be on a different team.

TonyHawktuah69

8 | 21 hours ago

Not even just a max. Lakers aren’t offering him more than 20 mil, it would mess up their flexibility.

Antisystemization | Cavaliers

6 | 19 hours ago

20 mil for the second/third best player on the team who’s rarely injured and has never missed a playoff game would be insulting regardless of his age.

EarthWarping | NBA

3 | 21 hours ago

I dont see a sign and trade possibility barring it be for Allen.

BrotherSeamus | Thunder

1 | 20 hours ago

Take him to Detroit (for Jalen Duren)

[deleted]

0 | 21 hours ago

[deleted]

VegetaDaPrince

12 | 21 hours ago

I’ve never seen this sub pocket watch another player as much as y’all pocket watch Bron. The Lakers didn’t offer LeBron an extension last summer so he’s going to understandably play hard ball with the front office.

refugee_man

9 | 21 hours ago

The people they don’t pocket watch are the owners. They always bitch about how much players make

c32dot | Lakers

10 | 21 hours ago

Its not about being enough or not. If players like LeBron start taking less than they’re worth the players union loses leverage.

Ok-Adeptness-5834

2 | 21 hours ago

Why would players union lose leverage? That doesn’t make sense to me.

c32dot | Lakers

2 | 20 hours ago

If players sign for less than the max they’re worth, players of a similar caliber lose bargaining power. For example, you want the max? Well Player X will sign for Y, so you have to take that or we sign him. Ultimately they both would lose out, compared to if they both asked for the max.

Ok-Adeptness-5834

1 | 20 hours ago

Makes no sense. Lebron signed for less in Miami. Did other superstars all of a sudden start signing for less?

Max players are already worth way more than the max. There’s no shortage of demand for max players if they want a max contract. The only thing that changes is that they may not get to their preferred team cause they have no cap space.

c32dot | Lakers

1 | 19 hours ago

LeBron signing for slightly less than the max, is not the same as him singing for the minimum. Him signing for more than the minimum immediately makes it so they cant sign anyone else. So why would he not ask for the max from his billionaire boss?

Ok-Adeptness-5834

1 | 19 hours ago

The max is like 50 million and the min is 5 million. That’s a lot of range between min and max. He can sign for 20 million and then they can add a lot of depth for 30 million.

c32dot | Lakers

2 | 17 hours ago

Thats not how the cap works. He either signs the veteran 8 mil MLE, or he asks for a max. Lakers do not have space to sign anyone else, they have to resign Hachimura and Reaves. They can go over the cap for LeBron, but they cant give 30 to X player and then 20 to LeBron.

SebastianC1

1 | 20 hours ago

He’s like literally 42 and by tying up bron with this we literally never have an opportunity to get cap space again

c32dot | Lakers

3 | 20 hours ago

Lakers dont have cap space anyway. They have to resign Hachimura & Reaves aswell.

whatssenguntoagoblin | Alperen Sengun

0 | 21 hours ago

I think at this point LeBron has done enough for the players union. I don’t think LeBron in the final season of his career taking a pay cut changes much.

At 32 absolutely, but not at 42

refugee_man

8 | 21 hours ago

Mark Walther’s net worth: https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/mark-r-walter/

You’re right, it’s never enough. Even the richest fuckers will try to squeeze even the most valuable employees for everything they can.

Ok-Adeptness-5834

0 | 21 hours ago

If this were true, then owners would never go into the luxury tax.

refugee_man

2 | 21 hours ago

Well, Lebron took a discount to sign with Miami so I guess it sometimes IS enough for him!

AsparagusTricky5181

2 | 20 hours ago

And then cheap fuck Micky Arison cut Mike Miller to reduce the tax bill in 2014, which is one of the multitude of reasons why Lebron left that summer.

Ok-Adeptness-5834

0 | 20 hours ago

Most sports owners aren’t really in it for the profitability. They’re more like toys than investments. We have guys like Ballmer losing millions each year to try to win championships cause they’ve made their fortunes elsewhere. These businesses really don’t produce that much cash flow. I think a typical NBA team generates under 100 million of profit a year which is like the salary of 2 guys.

refugee_man

1 | 20 hours ago

This is nonsense. For one, it’s not about cash flow, it’s about the valuation of the teams. And for two, if they weren’t about profit you wouldn’t see things like a salary cap. The majority of the line from WNBA owners during their recent negotiation was that they had been losing money so should be able to claw some of that back now.

It’s shameful how so many sports fans attack players yet bend over backwards to give owners a pass.

Ok-Adeptness-5834

1 | 20 hours ago

I never said they don’t care about profit at all or are happy to lose money for no good reason.

Salary caps are to protect profits, yes, but it’s also there to protect the poorer owners from rich owners like Ballmer who have unlimited budget, because a lot owners obviously don’t buy them as purely for investment reasons. Why would Ballmer be willing to keep losing money every year? He has made it abundantly clear that he cares more about a championship than his return on investment.

refugee_man

1 | 20 hours ago

Most sports owners aren’t really in it for the profitability.

Salary caps are to protect profits, yes,

I’m not sure why you’re defending team owners so hard but I’m sure they appreciate it!

xxc6h1206xx

1 | 20 hours ago

The owners of the lakers deserve his pay cut then? Makes no sense

Aggressive-Law-9305

0 | 20 hours ago

If he wants max he won’t be in the nba. Unless he wants to play for like Brooklyn or the bulls

brewmax | Timberwolves

4 | 21 hours ago

LeGone

24Haaton | Lakers

4 | 21 hours ago

It’s been this way every year for 3 maybe years now this isn’t new or insightful reporting from Windhosrt just the same shit different year.

Plastic_Blood1782

8 | 21 hours ago

He has never been an unrestricted FA in the last 3 years, so not the same situation really.

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

1 | 19 hours ago

He’s had a PO that he could have declined and been a UFA.

VegetaDaPrince

3 | 21 hours ago

This is a lie. He signed a 4 year deal in 2018 and two extensions after that. He opted out in 2024 to sign a new deal with a NTC. Last summer the Lakers didn’t offer him an extension. This is a completely different situation.

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

0 | 19 hours ago

He’s had POs the last 2 offseasons. In both of those offseasons the same report was made that he would take less if they could show who they would bring in for that money. This offseason makes it 3.

Plastic_Blood1782

0 | 15 hours ago

No one thinks the Lakers are offering him $52.6m this summer so not sure how that is relevant. Of course he took the money.

VegetaDaPrince

-1 | 18 hours ago

Wrong. He hasn’t had a player option the last two offseasons. In 2024 he signed a new deal with a NTC and last year he wasn’t even offered anything so he opted in. This year he is an unrestricted free agent with no player option to opt into.

2024 is when we offered to take a pay cut.

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

1 | 18 hours ago

What did he opt in to last offseason if he didnt have a PO? He also had a PO in 2024 that he opted out of to sign a 2 year deal with the NTC.

VegetaDaPrince

1 | 17 hours ago

I don’t know why I said those first two sentences. I meant he doesn’t have a PO this season and the only reason he opted out in 2024 was for a NTC. Last year he wasn’t even offered anything so opting out would’ve been pointless. This offseason is completely different than 2024 and 2025.

sportswithgary | Mavericks

1 | 21 hours ago

LeGonnaGoGolfing

AbleCap5222

1 | 21 hours ago

No reason to believe that. What he asked for is perfectly logical and reasonable

VikusVidz

62 | 21 hours ago

Just take your son and go back to the Cavs for a farewell tour man…. Strong ass chance he would make it deeper into the playoffs with Cavs than the Lakers at this point

EstablishmentTop551 | 76ers

78 | 21 hours ago

He’d have Atkinson fired by Thanksgiving

Djinnrb

10 | 21 hours ago

Atkinson? Last years Coach of the Year? The one who made a mistake in game 1 of the ECF by not calling a time out quick enough top stop the bleeding in the last few minutes, and said a meme about something being analytical?

itsyaboikuzma | Lakers

21 | 20 hours ago

Dwane Casey was fired the same year he won Coach of the Year lol

Djinnrb

2 | 19 hours ago

lmao thats funny

ZeroMayCry7 | Raptors

1 | 18 hours ago

in some ways it’s not that crazy though. COTY is a regular season award (which Casey performed well in), whereas he got fired for his poor post-season performance which makes sense.

MaskedBirder | 76ers

14 | 21 hours ago

Atkinson sucked in the Knicks series but people are overhating on him BIG TIME

byteturtle | Suns

5 | 21 hours ago

I do think people are over hating on Atkinson because of that one overly regurgitated meme but I also don’t really see what the Cavs can do to get better after a disappointing season (Yes it was their best season since Lebron, but I think if youre an owner and youre the only 2nd apron team to start the season and what you have to show for it is an ECF sweep youre usually pretty upset) and that’s usually a recipe for a coach getting fired / being on the hot seat.

To me their real issue is the fact that their best player, while really good, continue to show this playoffs that he’s really “just” 26ish ppg on decentish splits when playing playoff teams while offering NOTHING else which is a really tough build around when you have other 1As who can score at near the same clip but are also defensive stalwarts or elite playmakers or an offensive system onto themselves.

I really don’t know what I would do if I was the Cavs but I think they are in a pretty tough position even with the talent they have on their roster.

thecubeportal | Timberwolves

1 | 6 hours ago

I think Harden and Donovan Mitchell don’t compliment each other that well. Seemed like at least one of them was disappearing each game.

engage_with_content

1 | 19 hours ago

The problem with Atkinson is that (as I understand it) he was hired to take the Cavs to the next level after they moved on from JB, who was seen as more of a floor raiser. While I guess they technically improved from the 2nd round to the CF, Atkinson flamed out pretty spectacularly when it mattered most.

[deleted]

1 | 21 hours ago

[deleted]

Djinnrb

1 | 21 hours ago

nba fans are so bipolar. Either someone is the best and winning awards or they’re the worst and about to get fired. Theres no in between.

byteturtle | Suns

0 | 21 hours ago

Please show me a single person who called Kenny Atkinson “the best” even when he won his COTY.

Djinnrb

0 | 21 hours ago

The fact that he won COTY means people who voted said he was “the best” otherwise they would have voted for someone else.

byteturtle | Suns

1 | 20 hours ago

Thats not what COTY is at all

Spo and Brad Stevens have a combined 0 COTY awards, typically the coach who wins COTY is the one who exceeded expectations the most, not the best.

Do you also think people though Karl Malone was better than MJ in 97?

Djinnrb

1 | 20 hours ago

That would be Most Improved Coach of the Year Award. If they do indeed calculate the votes that way then they’re dumb.

byteturtle | Suns

2 | 20 hours ago

I mean all you have to do is look at the historical winners of COTY and see that Phil Jackson, the coach behind 3 different 3 peats has a single COTY award.

Spo has 0, Brad Stevens has 0, Jerry Sloan has 0, Mike D’Antoni has 0, Don Nelson has 0 but Sam Mitchell won 1 during a year where the Raptors went 47-35

WanAjin | Lakers

11 | 18 hours ago

The Lakers wouldn’t want Bronny to leave lol. He’s literally not impacting their cap at all, and he’s shown more than any of the other rookies/younger players.

Lqtor | Supersonics

2 | 10 hours ago

Yeah obviously the pick originally was nepo but atp he’s more than earned his spot and a positive asset. Mfs on this sub treat him like he’s thanasis lmfao

Mammoth-Physics6254 | Mavericks

2 | 10 hours ago

I don’t think he’s a positive asset he’s better than the other 2nd round picks but as a raw 6’0 guard with no clear strengths on a long term contract…to stick at that height you need a superpower and Bronny just hasn’t really showcased that. Ryan Nembardt is about the same age and height a much better player and he doesn’t even have a secure roster spot.

loyola-atherton | Lakers

2 | 21 hours ago

If he goes back to Cleveland for a final stint, I can see the Cavs fulfilling prophecy and getting past the ECF and into the Finals

Emergency-Fig-3670

69 | 20 hours ago

I mean this is exactly what should happen

You want James to take a paycut, then show him what you will do with that money and what your plans are. He has another year or two left and won’t be in a team with no vision.

Aggressive-Law-9305

16 | 20 hours ago

I guess but he’s gonna have to take a paycut no matter what. Unless he wants to be a bull or net

Emergency-Fig-3670

2 | 20 hours ago

Whoever he signs with is going to have to convince him. Won’t be the vet min but probably 30 million or so

Aggressive-Law-9305

7 | 20 hours ago

Even if it’s 30 million that’s basically the lakers. Unless he wants to go to a rebuilding team. Otherwise he’s looking at MLE money.

randotd152

8 | 19 hours ago

Yeah. There are no contenders with serious cap space to offer Lebron real money outright. Largely because it’s really hard to contend without going over the cap these days.

It would have to be an S&T somewhere else to a contender, which then also means a contender giving up something valuable to make that happen. So it’s not easily done for a one year rental.

markjay6 | Lakers

0 | 15 hours ago

Absolutely not. How do they know what they will do with the money? The only way they will know that is to actually make offers to and negotiate with players (to sign) or teams (to trade with). They have no idea how that will turn out. And subsequent signing or trades are dependent on initial signings or trades.

The way to demonstrate a vision is not to explain it to James but to put in practice by signing good players. If he wants to sign with the Lakers after that based on what they have available, that will be up to him then.

Emergency-Fig-3670

2 | 15 hours ago

I am almost sure the Lakers will have to build the team and sign LeBron with whatever is left or he go to another team and sign with them.

rumblegod | Thunder

30 | 21 hours ago

Just go to the Cavs unc

kringiskhan

9 | 21 hours ago

Somehow if they could get Kyrie too, wouldn’t that be cool

slightlyhigh77

12 | 21 hours ago

I would honestly watch every Cavs game I could just for the nostalgia

Troll_Enthusiast | Wizards

1 | 20 hours ago

As long as Harden goes

Marineking12 | Jazz

25 | 21 hours ago

We should all trust Windy with these because according to Windy, he and LeBron are best friends.

DASreddituser

35 | 21 hours ago

he literally has said the opposite. lmao what is it with people making shit up about sports?

Coolguynumber01 | Warriors

15 | 21 hours ago

people dont care about actual facts. they just make jokes and eventually they say enough of them that those jokes become the reality in their minds

Odoaiden | Timberwolves

10 | 21 hours ago

Eh you can say a lot about windy but he definitely has sources with LeBron

Agreeable_Cheek_7161

32 | 21 hours ago

He hasn’t had sources with LeBron in years…

Few_Position_2727 | Lakers

8 | 21 hours ago

Not anymore

No-Ranger3356

7 | 21 hours ago

i’ll bet you any amount of money that you cant give me a source of Windhorst saying he’s good friends with LeBron

night_night_nachos | Warriors

5 | 21 hours ago

Yeah he never claimed to being friends with him. He’s actually close to Rich Paul.

Mundane-Ad9395

2 | 21 hours ago

Funny no one here thinks you are being sarcastic…

mkallday10 | 76ers

2 | 19 hours ago

You are getting your reporter memes mixed up.

Yes, Windy built his career by hovering around LeBron, but he does not claim to be friends. Stephen A Smith is the “X is a dear friend of mine” guy.

kodiblaze

1 | 21 hours ago

Dude been breathing down LeBron’s locker room since 9th grade

GlueGuy00

-3 | 21 hours ago

Windy is the most accurate among Lebron reporters out there. Windy to Bron is what Skip is to Kawhi.

ositola | Lakers

22 | 21 hours ago

I was told that he’s going to Cleveland on a vet min though lol

[deleted]

-1 | 21 hours ago

[deleted]

Ok-Panic-4877 | Timberwolves

6 | 21 hours ago

I was told he was going to join the Wolves

Price2Mitchell

2 | 21 hours ago

He might. He might not. Sauces have yet to confirm.

Knobbdog

5 | 21 hours ago

Sauces are hot and tasty

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

2 | 20 hours ago

I was told he was ready to take the hardest road

420_69_Fake_Account

0 | 20 hours ago

Was it Rich Paul who said it? otherwise it don’t mean shit.

TheFakeBillPierce

12 | 21 hours ago

How dumb would a team have to be to give lebron a max contract right now?

Djinnrb

15 | 21 hours ago

Lebron said he’s not going to a team next year that needs to be built from scratch. He said he’s only going to a team with a chance to win it all. So by him saying that he effectively said he will not take a max contract because in that situation there will be a 0% chance of that happening. So he will take much less money to a team with a shot.

Nobody7713 | Raptors

3 | 19 hours ago

Exactly, he’s not saying “give me the max” he’s saying “if you’re not paying me, tell me who you’re going to pay and why me signing on for less will help me be on a contending team”

TyposIncoming | Lakers

11 | 21 hours ago

It depends on what your goals are. Like the Nets aren’t winning anything next year so why not make a ton of money selling LeBron jerseys?

jSplashwell | Wizards

8 | 21 hours ago

Wizards should give him as much money as possible

sportsfan113 | 76ers

7 | 19 hours ago

I would rather have LeBron on a max next year than PG.

Aggressive-Law-9305

3 | 20 hours ago

Why would it be dumb? Specially just a season. The tickets and merch $$ alone would be worth it. Issue is only 3 teams can even offer a max and he’s not going to 2 of em

DwnvotesMeansImRight | Thunder

3 | 21 hours ago

max 1 year/2 year would be acceptable if S&T or if Lakers retain him

anonahmus | Kings

1 | 21 hours ago

Kangz talk

ElGoddamnDorado | Spurs

8 | 21 hours ago

Pelinka: “I have a concept of a plan”

namagofuckyoself | Lakers

1 | 20 hours ago

“I have a theoretical degree in physics”

freshBlueeyes6391

6 | 19 hours ago

Windhorst suggested that a sign-and-trade would represent the best chance for James to make significant earnings while also moving on to a different team.

He’s a UFA. What team out there wants to be forced to match a new contract with their own players contracts and rip their roster apart just to bring in Lebron for a final hurray year?

Lebron, just start fielding offers as a free agent already. WTF

FREEDOMfrom_

7 | 19 hours ago

Lakers plan: bring players in that won’t move the needle. Rely on Luka and ready to retire LeBron to make the playoffs again.
LeBron: where do I sign?

TonyHawktuah69

7 | 21 hours ago

Lakers are daring him to not take an extreme pay cut. He has 0 leverage, no contending team has cap to offer him anything, so he’d have to seek out a sign and trade which again lakers would need to agree to facilitate.

Lebron walks and they still have cap room and 3 picks to build their team. Lebron takes a massive discount they still have cap room and picks to trade and nothing changes. It’s a win/win for them

Heavy-Flight-9940

8 | 21 hours ago

they cant replace what he offers

TonyHawktuah69

10 | 21 hours ago

He took up 53 mil in cap. They had zero depth or really anything and he’s not playing at an mvp level anymore. No they can’t get a 25/5/5 guy, but they can get actual role players and what the team needs instead which is more valuable.

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

1 | 18 hours ago

They can replace him and more in the aggregate with how much he was making.

Pokefreaker-san | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

the other guy is right, what lakers need is simply more than what Lebron could offer, which is depth.

EarthWarping | NBA

1 | 21 hours ago

I dont think hed walk for nothing. Hes either sticking or theyre signing and trading him somewhere.

awntawn | Lakers

7 | 21 hours ago

The Lakers can’t use their cap if they sign and trade LeBron, so unless they’re actually getting back the pieces they need, they’re more likely to just renounce his rights which would close the door on that.

TonyHawktuah69

3 | 21 hours ago

I agree but the lakers have the leverage here is the point. For maybe the first time in his entire career a team fully has LeBron over the barrel and he has no real say in how this plays out. He can’t strong arm them into anything

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

2 | 18 hours ago

He very much could walk for nothing. They don’t have to s&t him for whatever crap another teams wants to offer. So unless they get back something that helps them they just say no.

petarisawesomeo | Nuggets

5 | 19 hours ago

Offer: vet min
Plan: not having LeBron on the team

ianbits | Cavaliers

5 | 21 hours ago

I mean this tracks with what we’ve heard right?

He’s willing to take less if it means they bring in someone worth it. But some of that is going to have to wait until we see if the Thunder pick up Hart’s option because that seems like the most “worth it” option on the market.

TonyHawktuah69

12 | 21 hours ago

They really don’t care what lebrons demands are anymore because he has no leverage. He can threaten to leave and they say go ahead and renounce his cap hold and get a ton of cap room. He can demand a trade and the lakers have both LeBron and the other team over a barrel because teams don’t have cap to sign LeBron outright and lakers don’t have to facilitate the trade if it doesn’t help them.

damgood32

0 | 21 hours ago

His leverage is he is unrestricted free agent. The cap room is irrelevant if they can’t get anybody to sign that is better than LeBron.

Klutzy_Fisherman6262 | Knicks

0 | 18 hours ago

After they re-sign whatever combo of Reaves/Rui/Kennard/Smart they will not have a ton of cap space even if they renounce him and he leaves.

TonyHawktuah69

1 | 18 hours ago

Smart is still under contract, Reaves cap hold isn’t bad at all and he’s already publicly stated he’s taking a contract that’s real friendly to help them contend.

Kennard and rui are gone. They have a ton of cap room, more than any other contender. People can cope and say “it’s not that much” but they have pathways to secure over 40 mil in cap.

Klutzy_Fisherman6262 | Knicks

0 | 18 hours ago

Smart has a player option that he’s going to decline. $40M is not a lot if the only way to get that is losing Rui/Kennard/Smart/LeBron. They'd have a hard time even replacing those guys for $40M let alone improving. They’re also not a contender.

TonyHawktuah69

2 | 17 hours ago

Why would smart not pick up his option? He’s been traded twice and his value was at an all time low which is why he ended up on the 5mil deal. Unless you think someone is offering their mle or more on Marcus smart he’s picking that option up to stay.

losing rui/kennard/lebron

Which is the plan and ayton is leaving this off season as well. He took the prove it deal for La to rehab his value some and will get more than 8mil on the market from a team in need of a center.

They have cap room and picks to trade, they’re building a contender this off season.

Klutzy_Fisherman6262 | Knicks

0 | 17 hours ago

Smart would opt out of $5M because he just had a good year and will get more than that or at least equal from the Lakers or someone else. The veterans minimum next year is like $3.9M, there’s almost no risk to him opting out.

Lol so their “plan” is to rescind everyone except AR, pray that for whatever reason Ayton opts out and Smart opts in which won’t happen, and have like $50M in cap space and picks to trade to build a contender with a roster of Luka/AR/Smart/Vanderbilt/LaRavia/Bronny/Thiero.

There’s no chance that’s actually the plan, but they are fucked if it is.

[deleted]

0 | 21 hours ago

[deleted]

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

3 | 18 hours ago

Timelord is eligible for a 57m contract too, what does what someone is eligible for matter? Anyone with at least 7 years in the league are eligible for it. Lakers also have 50-63m in cap space depending on Ayton and Smart POs, and could create more by dumping salary with pick(s).

Professional-Fee6914 | Lakers

3 | 21 hours ago

Thinking he is worth the max is insane.

He will take what the Lakers offer or they should move on from him. Its fair that he should look at the team and make a decision, but the Lakers should not be thinking about making LeBron happy next year when they should be planning for the next five years. Worrying about LeBron got them into the hole they are only now digging out of.

Price2Mitchell

-2 | 21 hours ago

The thing is, the lakers roster is so badly constructed with very little future picks until 2029, that 5 year plan is very bleak without LeBron

RspectMyAuthoritah | Lakers

2 | 18 hours ago

Most of the roster are free agents this summer, so it doesn’t really matter how badly constructed it was.

MotherLoveBone27

-3 | 18 hours ago

He’s still like top ten in the league. He’s worth max, he just carried a bunch of nobodies to the 2nd round.

One_Seaworthiness323

4 | 18 hours ago

Lmao no he isn’t top 10

Professional-Fee6914 | Lakers

2 | 16 hours ago

He carried them for 3 games started looking old, then Reaves came back to help. I like Lebron, I think at his best he’s top 20. But he can’t will a team to victory which is what a max needs to be able to do.

MotherLoveBone27

0 | 14 hours ago

Reaves didnt do nothing. He’s good regular season but aint a playoff player yet.

Air4021

4 | 20 hours ago

Lebron: I want to win another championship.
Lakers: We do too. Btw, that Cleveland offer looks really good.

brownieman99

0 | 18 hours ago

The Lakers want to win a championship next year? The g league championship or what?

Digitalzombie900

4 | 10 hours ago

If LeBron had to leak this, it looks like ownership did not approach yet and Bron is itching for it. Which means ownership has no plans to pay him max or even make any long term plans with him or try to make him happy.

Navajo_Nation | Lakers

3 | 20 hours ago

You’re not getting the max dude.

_no7

3 | 20 hours ago

Reports now say Lakers are removing all cookies from the planes. /s

Tprince02

2 | 21 hours ago

Don’t get me wrong, but at this point does he need to value project rather than getting max dollars ? Especialy him getting one more championship make the goat debat weight more on his favour ?

Price2Mitchell

6 | 21 hours ago

The lakers are a lot of pieces away, especially in the west.

BoxSea4289

2 | 21 hours ago

The problem is that basketball is still 100% the best investment he can make with his time. Option 1. Retire and use investments and business ventures as his sole pool of money. Option 2. Add to his investment and venture pool with a guaranteed 200 million dollar contract while still being able to grow his businesses organically.

The die will always land on playing in the NBA because it makes the most sense Time vs Money return. His kids already close to being adults, its not like he already missed out on them being young.

Nigerianpoopslayer

2 | 20 hours ago

Ok

anexpectedfart | Lakers

2 | 18 hours ago

Rob Pelinka have concepts of a plan

CHEVIEWER1

1 | 17 hours ago

Palinka is working behind the scenes in a stealth manner

CHEVIEWER1

2 | 18 hours ago

Not happening…🤣

LemmySixx

2 | 13 hours ago

The only way he’s back is if Luka demands it and it won’t be the max . The Lakers were already moving on from him last off season but he had the opt in

BriOnRy

1 | 21 hours ago

James whole bloodline is gone

AdWorking7417

1 | 21 hours ago

“I’ve seen Brian Windhorst on one of these shows not too long ago — This guy says he’s like my fucking best friend. These guys are just weird.”

CheesecakePretend553

1 | 20 hours ago

So basically he’s willing to take a paycut depending on who it is they’ll go after. If it’s not someone he likes he’ll just go somewhere else/would rather be paid in full if he does stay. Peyton Watson, Kelly Oubre, and Walker Kessler are probably the only 3 names I think Lebron should take a cut for.

ThatFuckinFoleyNHere

1 | 20 hours ago

For me it’s about the years. If it’s a one year deal, the Lakers should bring him back.

ActuallyKaylee | Raptors

1 | 19 hours ago

Everyone is missing the point, it’s not about whether or not he thinks he’s worth the max, it’s that he doesn’t want to take a cut and then have the Lakers signs some shmoes or no one at all. It sounds like if the Lakers have a plan and have guys who need the money then he’ll take the cut. It’s not that crazy. But he’s not going to take the cut and then wait around and risk the Lakers just penny pinching.

Aurion7 | Hornets

1 | 18 hours ago

That probably ought to be about par for the course on the idea of a star player taking a pay cut, yes.

CHEVIEWER1

1 | 17 hours ago

LeComplainer would never accept it his EGO is to huge

WiIIemdafoe | OKC

1 | 13 hours ago

If Lebrons serious about winning he should take a vet minimum to wherever he wants. If he ask for money that’ll eat cap space or a trade that has to cut into a teams depth, it’s about the money.

GreasefangEnjoyer | 76ers

2 | 11 hours ago

I guess but a vet minimum is pretty crazy. He was one of the best players in the playoffs this year.

Correct_End998

2 | 6 hours ago

No he wasn’t . His bad games were pitifully bad

Correct_End998

1 | 6 hours ago

Personal Pride > winning in professional sports

wpmason

1 | 9 hours ago

I find it comical to think about Buss and Pelinka giggling while ghosting him completely.

Like when a dorky kid asks a hot girl out and she says she’ll ask her parents and get back with him later.

CliffDraws | Thunder

1 | an hour ago

This is the top notch reporting that gets you to the summit of sports media.

[deleted]

0 | 21 hours ago

[deleted]

Price2Mitchell

1 | 21 hours ago

I mean it literally says hes waiting to hear why he cant get a max instead of just signing

tmanky

0 | 21 hours ago

Lebron S&T for Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill. Come home to Cleveland Mr. James.

BrickburnerUHC | Cavaliers

0 | 20 hours ago

Lebron signs for about $28 million and the Lakers do a swap with the Cavs for Jarrett Allen

[Windhorst on the Hoop Collective] Windhorst been told that James is waiting for the Lakers to approach him with an offer and a plan.

“I’ve seen Brian Windhorst on one of these shows not too long ago — This guy says he’s like my fucking best friend. These guys are just weird.”