The Los Angeles Lakers face a critical offseason full of pivotal decisions that could alter the franchise’s direction for years.
Not only do the Lakers need to figure out who their next head coach will be, they’ll also be on pins and needles as they wait to hear what LeBron James plans to do with his player option for the 2024-25 season. James is expected to decline that player option and test free agency, though early reporting suggests that he’ll stay in Los Angeles.
Despite a couple of disappointing playoff finishes, James hasn’t given any indication that he’ll be looking elsewhere in free agency. James’ former Miami Heat teammate Udonis Haslem had a comical response when explaining why he thinks LeBron will ultimately stay with the Lakers on ESPN’s Get Up:
“One of the best businessmen I’ve ever been around. Business minds, they’re very calculated. With that being said, you got a better chance of wrestling an alligator than getting Bron out of L.A. I agree with you 1000%, he ain’t going nowhere. He’ll be in the South of France sipping wine while we have these discussions, we write about it and talk about it and all the while, he is going back to L.A. This is a business decision. He has the opportunity to opt out, get more money, that new TV deal is coming in, and extend his career a little bit longer. Does he want to play with Bronny? We don’t know how that goes, but he has the option, he has the power. He’s just exercising that. He ain’t going nowhere…. You talk business and basketball, what better place to do that than L.A.?”
Haslem’s response came after a suggestion that James could look to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. The 76ers have enough cap space to sign a max free agent like James outright and are reportedly eyeing him as an option should he want out from the Lakers.
It remains to be seen what James will do, but the most likely outcome is he re-ups with the purple and gold.
Carmelo Anthony believes JJ Redick can make it work with LeBron James if hired as Lakers’ head coach
ESPN analyst JJ Redick has been drawing the most buzz to become the next head coach for the Lakers despite his lack of NBA experience on the sidelines. However, Carmelo Anthony believes Redick can make it work coaching L.A. and James.
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