Everyone around the league is waiting for the final decisions from Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Once these two superstars decide where they want to spend the next few years, the rest of the players in free agency will likely start to agree upon deals with teams.
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As of right now, the Lakers are patiently waiting for Carmelo to decide between Los Angeles and the New York Knicks. All indications point to the superstar heading back to New York, but no official decision has been announced.
If the Lakers are unable to sign Carmelo, the storied franchise has plenty options, according to Kobe Bryant via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Kobe on a Plan B: "We have several options. Depending on the timing of this process if effects some of those."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) July 9, 2014
The five-time NBA champion spoke to the media in Santa Barbara on Wednesday afternoon before getting his annual basketball camp underway. Kobe took questions on Carmelo and Pau Gasol’s free agency as well as emphasizing that all the Lakers can do is wait to see how things pan out via Winters:
Kobe: "Plan B is a solid plan. You just have to play the waiting game a little bit and see what things shake out."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) July 9, 2014
If Carmelo decides to return to New York or surprise everyone and head to another destination thought to not be in the running, the Lakers will have a few options in free agency.
Over the past few weeks, the team has been rumored to show interest in a number of different players around the league. A few of those players are former Lakers like Steve Blake, Caron Butler, and Trevor Ariza. Others notable free agents linked to the Lakers are Lance Stephenson, Isaiah Thomas, Luol Deng, Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe to name a few.
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Obviously, none of these players are potential game-changers like Carmelo and LeBron, but the right combination surrounding Kobe in Los Angeles could make the Lakers a force to be reckoned with.
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