The Giving Tree might have just run out of apples. With Klay Thompson ready to join the Dallas Mavericks via a sign-and-trade, LeBron James may no longer be willing to accept a pay reduction from the Los Angeles Lakers. The four-time champion was allegedly willing to assist the team, but his generosity will only come if the front office makes it worthwhile.
James might have been enticed to make a financial sacrifice if the Lakers had signed Thompson, James Harden, or Jonas Valanciunas, all of whom are now off the board. Now, the 39-year-old may be tempted to pursue another lucrative contract, possibly his final as an NBA player.
“Ultimately, LeBron James probably takes that full max because the kind of impact player they hoped for is not available,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stated on SportsCenter, according to Lakers Vino.
If Los Angeles signs the all-time great to a three-year, $160 million contract, as Wojnarowski predicts, it will send a clear message to fans that the team will not change dramatically. And in a formidable Western Conference, that is a difficult reality for them to cheerfully accept. The general consensus is that the Lakers need to add another difference-maker in order to contend for the championship.
The organization’s desire to contend in the last years of James’ career, along with his own alleged plan to leave money on the table for a famous player, should have resulted in some sort of significant move. However, general manager Rob Pelinka has failed to make a splash in NBA free agency, or any action at all, other than keeping Max Christie. It looks that disappointment will define the Lakers’ offseason.
Is there one final card the team can play?
