The Los Angeles Lakers' time is ticking, with only two days left to get a deal done with the San Antonio Spurs for their estranged star Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard is viewed as the key piece in the balance for luring LeBron James in free agency, but the cost of making that trade would be to offer something too hard to resist.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne, and Brian Windhorst — the Lakers would have to give up a king's ransom to pry the L.A. native from the Spurs' hands, who have been reluctant to trading Leonard to a Western Conference team.

“The price for Leonard would be substantial. The Lakers could have to surrender a combination of former first-round picks — from Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart — and future first-round picks and perhaps restricted free agent Julius Randle in a sign-and-trade agreement.

The Lakers have been hunting a future first-round draft pick on the trade market in recent days, league sources said. That pick could be used to sweeten a prospective trade opportunity.”

A deal of this magnitude would strip the Lakers to their skin and bones, making the exoskeleton of this very roster hinge on Lonzo Ball, James, and Leonard coexisting and taking on the bulk of assignments at both ends of the floor.

The Spurs have “zero interest” in Ball as an asset, due to his lack of shooting fundamentals — a must in the Spurs' system, which would force the Lakers into trading their other supporting pieces in hopes to land Leonard.

Landing Leonard would assure a James sighting at Staples Center this upcoming season, but it could prove to be a rather reckless decision to make in the zeal of assembling the NBA's next superteam.