The Los Angeles Lakers have been up and down lately, recently losing a home game to the Orlando Magic in crushing fashion on Tuesday evening. Some have gone as far as to suggest that the Lakers would be better off moving on from LeBron James this summer, with the prospect of him joining a new team becoming a real possibility.
Of course, James' retirement also doesn't seem to be too far off, and recently, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported on a big plan that the star might have as it pertains to NBA expansion.
“…there's a rumor going around the league that he will be the face of the NBA's expansion team in Las Vegas,” reported Pincus.
Apparently, the plan also includes James' longtime friend Rich Paul.
“One line of thinking is that he might retire, and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, might sell the rest of his agency to UTA (United Talent Agency). With financial backing, they then might look to step into ownership roles,” reported Pincus.
NBA expansion rumors have been circling for quite some time now, with Las Vegas being listed among the prime candidates, along with Seattle, which was previously home to the SuperSonics.
Pincus noted that “the league will let multiple candidates pitch locations.”
James has become more and more prominent with his business interests off the court in recent years. Paul, meanwhile, hasn't exactly been a fan favorite of the Lakers this year, after he publicly suggested that the team move on from Austin Reaves via a trade.
However, his potential teaming with James on an expansion team in Las Vegas would occur long after James' Lakers days, and NBA days as a whole, are over.
For now, the Lakers will focus on trying to get back in the win column on Thursday on the road against the Phoenix Suns.
