Kevin Durant and Lebron James (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
There is a chance that Lebron James joins Kevin Durant in exploring free agency this summer, which would surely have NBA teams salivating. According to the latest NBA rumors, one team that has a shot at signing the pair of superstars is the Los Angeles Lakers.
There is no stopping speculations about Lakers' free agency plans and targets, with the 16-time NBA champs already looking forward at tinkering their lineup after an already dismal season.
Los Angeles, currently with the second worst record in the league at 13-51, are poised to sign top free agents in the summer's market with Kobe Bryant's contract coming off the books. That would mean more than $60 million of flexible cap space enough to acquire one or two star players.
According to Eric Yee of Sports Illustrated's Lake Show Life, the Lakers, expected to have an abundance of cap space for the offseason, will attempt to sign big names in the market, which could possibly be OKC Thunder's Durant and Cleveland Cavaliers' James.
The idea of pairing the two in a team may sound more of a fantasy, but there is a very slight chance of it happening if all the deciding factors conspire at the right timing.
James has a two-year $46.9 million contract with the Cavs, including a player option on the final term. The two-time NBA champion seems committed in giving Cleveland their first Larry O'Brien trophy, but James' decision to continue wearing the Wine and Gold may change if the Cavs fail to win an NBA title this season.
On a side note, James seems to be a lock to opt out of his contract, with the league's new TV deal set to kick in next season. This means teams like the Lakers would have a shot at pursuing King James come free agency.
Durant, on the other hand, is playing on the final year of his five-year $89 million deal with the Thunder and set to become an unrestricted free agent. The two-time scoring champion has been linked to several teams, including the Lakers, although Durant has been reportedly seeking to play for a team that could instantly win a championship.
Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders listed possible scenarios the Lakers could do to lure Durant in playing at Tinsel Town, which include trading LA's young core and firing head coach Byron Scott. But ultimately, Pincus noted that the Lakers are in the position to sign Durant and yet would still have room to get another star like James.
Interestingly, Basketball Insiders also projected the Lakers as one of the three teams to pull off such rare feat as noted by Lake Show Life's report.
"According to Basketball Insiders', "NBA's Best/Worst Case 2016-17 Cap Projections," based on their best case scenarios, the only teams currently capable of pulling off such a feat are the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and perhaps the Philadelphia 76ers," Yee wrote.
LBJ and KD have proven they can co-exist in a team when both played for Team USA. They could also serve as mentors to the Lakers youthful core, although the Lakers may really have to trade one or two of their young talents to acquire the services of James and Durant.
The Lakers' current state may not be championship material, but if James and Durant bring their talents to LA, the Purple and Gold could instantly head back to their glorious days, winning back-to-back-to-back titles.
