With less than two weeks to go before the official start of NBA free agency, there is a solid confidence across the NBA that LeBron James will agree to a new contract in free agency to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers. On Tuesday, Brian Windhorst, a reporter who has covered James since the superstar’s high school days, said he believes James and the Lakers are currently negotiating a new contract.
On Wednesday’s episode of “NBA Today” on ESPN, Marc J. Spears said that he’s been hearing that James will likely stay with the Lakers. He also said that Kevin Love, a former teammate of James when both were with the Cleveland Cavaliers, could also be heading to Los Angeles.
“I’m hearing that [LeBron’s] likely coming back [to the Lakers],” Spears said. “… Kevin Love could likely be joining the Lakers too.”
The Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are the two other teams that most feel James will consider if he has any thought of switching teams. They will be very limited in how much money they can offer the 41-year-old, as both are over the salary cap. In particular, the Cavs will, in all likelihood, only be able to give James the taxpayer mid-level exception, which will be worth about $6 million, unless they’re willing to swing a sign-and-trade deal.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, will have as much as roughly $50 million in salary cap space.
The team needs help at the center position, and Love would be a curious choice at that position. He will turn 38 in early September, and he averaged 6.7 points on 39.7% field-goal shooting and 5.8 rebounds in 16.6 minutes a game for the Utah Jazz. But he is an effective 3-point shooter — he made 37.3% of his 3.8 3-point attempts a game this season.
Love has been injury-prone over the years. He appeared in 37 games this season, and he has played in at least 60 games just three times in the last 10 years (he logged 56 out of 65 games during the 2019-20 campaign).
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Report: LeBron James ‘likely’ to stay with Lakers, bring old teammate
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
