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So, LeBron James has just accepted a $ 154 million deal with the Lakers, four-year-old shaking the NBA landscape, locking in long-term and triggering an inevitable chain reaction of transactions around the league. James would have a fourth year withdrawal option, but the implications of his contract are clear: it's where I'm going, everyone can follow me. And while Paul George retired from the board of directors last night in long-term engagement in Thunder, there are still a ton of dominoes that have already begun to fall.
What's going on now for the Lakers? Well, the immediate answer, unbady is "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sign," which soon after James's news has agreed to a year, $ 12 million to join the Lakers, by Yahoo's Shams Charania Sports. Undoubtedly, Caldwell-Pope was with L.A. over a year, $ 17.7 million last season, and he and James share an agent, Rich Paul. Los Angeles has already been linked to the free agent center Nerlens Noel, which is also reissued by … Rich Paul. They would also have agreed to a $ 4.5 million, one year contract with Lance Stephenson, James' longtime nemesis, and a minimum contract with JaVale McGee, old center of the Warriors. Discussing.
Creating a ceiling space
The Lakers have already found LeBron ready for rotation. Given new deals for Caldwell-Pope, Stephenson and McGee, the Lakers may create about $ 2.2 million in capitalization, and have the opportunity to add $ 11.6 million more to them. renounced the restricted capitalization of the free agent Julius Randle. They can also exceed the salary cap to sign Randle, since they have their rights to the birds. Stephenson will sneak into the mid-level exception of the room, and McGee's minimum bid is placed neatly. If no one else in the league is willing to absorb the remaining two years and $ 36.8 million on the Luol Deng contract (in commercial packages that should include preliminary considerations to the minimum), the Lakers could give it up by using the stretching clause. remaining salary for each of the next five seasons. The exchange would be optimal, but if they stretch it, it would release about $ 9.8 million in the additional capitals room . At present, they are still on the verge of having space to sign another major free agent.
In Search of Kawhi
Starting with the high-level moves left on the board, expect the Lakers for Kawhi Leonard, the star of the Spurs, who has racked up nearly 20.1 million this season and that has an option for players in 2019-2020, which gives his side a way to pressure to try to force a blow. San Antonio will continue to lead a tough business, and LeBron's commitment could put extra pressure on Los Angeles to get Leonard now, instead of waiting for the trade deadline or just signing it to a big contract next summer. According to reports, Leonard intends to join the Lakers.
The Lakers may offer a mix of young players that includes Brandon Ingram (probably their best piece of commerce), Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, plus future draft considerations, as they currently own all their future first rounds. With L.A. moving to a competitive mode, the projected value of these firsts is a little more uncertain, as it will probably land somewhere in the 20s for the duration of James' stay. They are nevertheless badets. First-round pick Moritz Wagner signed his contract earlier on Sunday and can not be traded for 30 days. The Lakers may also offer provisional rights to two semifinalists: Isaac Bonga, a Germany striker, and shooting specialist Kansas Svi Mykhailiuk, who may both be hiding abroad next season and have not signed a contract. Los Angeles would likely like to abandon Deng's contract to preserve ceiling space in any Leonard contract, but the Spurs should be properly incentivized to do so.
Whether the Spurs change or not and send Leonard to a conference rival is still in the air, and the Lakers can still decide to pursue other options while preparing to sign it. ;next summer. But at least there is a path to what we can reasonably describe as Plan A.
Other Stars
The Lakers reportedly spoke at the center of free agent DeMarcus Pelicans Cousins on the phone at the beginning from the free agency. Cousins is the most talented free agent that remains on the market, but he's also a fat man of 6 "11", 270 pounds who enters his season at the age of 28 and who is recovering from surgery by the end of January … It would still be a splashy signature, and a maximum offer of one year could do it if the Lakers can clear a little more space But it is much less clear how much immediate help Cousins could provide, and there is some private skepticism around the league as to the next time that it will be available to play in. the games, wherever he signs next season.On out of a serious injury, it is also fair to wonder if Cousins would even take the risk of making a major short-term bid when he can get financial security elsewhere Staying with pelicans could be more lucrative. one of the newspapers and would spark superteam discussions, but it would not necessarily encourage a championship lane in the next 11 months.
According to reports, the Lakers also met the restricted free agent of the Clint Capela Rockets on Sunday. Just 24 years and coming from a career year, it would be another interesting option in the middle, but it would probably require a large long-term supply sheet to successfully pull him out of Houston, who holds the right to match any agreement. Capela is an athletic womanizer who could thrive alongside James, but committing money in the long run would jeopardize the future flexibility of the Lakers in the free agency. Paying it would help, but would not push Los Angeles on top without more talent in place. There are other young free-fledged players like Marcus Smart, Jabari Parker and Zach LaVine, but all would require such an important investment for a team that has their eyes on high-level talent.
Who could come back?
All these things have taken into account, James's long-term commitment without another star is a strong indication that he will not put pressure on the Lakers in an immediate and radical addition if it does not favor not the best interest of the team in all facets. It is possible that, if there is no clean way to add another star, they remain motionless for the moment. Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are long-term quality hopefuls, and Kuzma has proven his talents as a rookie and is also valuable. All three are useful trading chips, but would also appreciate the natural benefits of playing alongside James's they're indeed Lakers in the fall. The improved performance could theoretically lead to increased valuation in the trading market. We do not yet see what James thinks of the optics of playing alongside Ball and coexisting with his family circus.
Remember that the Lakers also have a restricted free agent at Julius Randle, who has taken a step forward in the season and could stay in Los Angeles by betting on himself (and a LeBron teammate worth bump) by choosing to sign a qualifying offer, or to find a feasible long-term itinerary. He could also be tempted by another team, but given that teams with available ceiling space have already spent their dollars, stay put one more year and touch an unrestricted free agency. next summer could be mutually attractive. full mid-level exception elsewhere. It seems unlikely that the Lakers would retain Isaiah Thomas after struggling to coexist with James last year in Cleveland. They also have the opportunity to sign Brook Lopez again, but as long as they keep Randle's cape in place, he will likely have to take a minimum contract, and McGee's signature could indicate that the scenario has sailed .
The Rest of the Market
The signing of Caldwell-Pope, Stephenson and McGee under a one-year contract seems to chart a reasonable path to the free agency of 2019. The Lakers pay for available veterans that they like for a season, and will re-evaluate the list within a year. As short-term targets, placing J.J. Redick, one of the league's snipers, alongside James would be dangerous. Redick has been on a one – year contract with the 76ers last summer and could theoretically do the same in Los Angeles. There are names like Derrick Favors, Tyreke Evans and Avery Bradley who may have some appeal, but who may prefer long-term safety. The next veteran rank includes Wayne Ellington, Luc Mbah a Moute, former teammates James Dwyane Wade and Jeff Green, noted James' favorite Shabazz Napier and others. While players have always taken less to play with LeBron in previous places, the options are not particularly bady and do not offer a direct path to reverse the Warriors' hegemony over the conference. West, and to a lesser extent the powerful Rockets. ] The Cavs
Poor Cleveland. With James leaving all but official, the Cavs are retiring from the luxury tax for the first time since returning in 2014, which is a welcome relief to a certain level for Dan Gilbert's portfolio. They still have an exception of $ 8.6 million for mid-level rooms and $ 3.4 million for free agents, but their list was built around James and is now basically an old-fashioned, no-engine car. They have rookie leader Collin Sexton (the # 8 pick in this year's draft) in the fold and rights of the birds to re-sign the restricted free agent Rodney Hood, but will face an ascending climb for reach the playoffs.
Cavs brings back a group of veterans led by Kevin Love, who has an opt-out after next season, but could possibly be swayed as a commercial bait. There is also the ragtag crew of George Hill, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Jordan Clarkson and Kyle Korver, all of whom will be paid up in 2019-2020 and should not command much in the market. As you might expect, there is a mess that needs to be cleaned in the wake of James. Plus, they owe the Hawks a top-10 finish in 2019, which certainly drives them to the bottom before going any further. For Cleveland, title property and all, there is no sensible path up before going down.
LeBron's Family
Side note here: James already has two homes in the Los Angeles area, which he bought in December, and his eldest son, Bronny, is 13 years old and is on the point to be a freshman in high school. Gary Payton, the Hall of Fame leader, hinted that James' son was committed to attending the Sierra Canyon School next year, a school that regularly recruits famous children. (including Jenners) Although the school has denied Payton's claims, it seems like a logical destination, with a well-publicized basketball program that has housed Marvin Bagley III and will feature the teenage sons of Scottie Pippen and Kenyon Martin. 39, next year plus a five-star rookie, Cbadius Stanley
Wherever the three children of James end up going to school, the quality of education coupled with the stability of his own contract allows for his family to feel stable, which he spoke publicly. And, although it's still a stretch, with the one-and-done rule on the way out, it's possible that Bronny, who was considered a legitimate prospect of Division I, may be good enough to enter the project and join his father in the league in four years, whether in Los Angeles or elsewhere.
The rest of the league
Should the Lakers be considered an immediate threat to overthrow the Warriors? Probably not. Are they on a lane of contention? Presumably, but not without much more work. We can badume that Los Angeles has moved in full win mode, regardless. The specter of James' sailing in the Western Conference is an immediate shot across the bow of each team in addition to Golden State and Houston, who will not and should not panic.
While the West is getting a lot more interesting, something that James has absolutely not done is to balance the league. Consider the Eastern Conference wide open, with the Celtics, the 76ers and the Raptors all ready to immediately capitalize on their windows of opportunity. Could this bring Adam Silver closer to the elimination of seeding the playoffs by conference? It's too early to call it, but there will be a wide range of workout effects that will impact the league in terms of business, given that its best player has just changed d & # 39; team. Like it or not, LeBron in a big historic basketball market is the new reality of the NBA. We live at least the next three or four years.
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