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Top-of-the-line soon-to-be free agents like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson already have presumed landing spots all lined up for this summer. Durant has been strongly linked to the New York Knicks, Leonard to the L.A. Clippers and Thompson is very likely to return to the Golden State Warriors.
Yet if any of these negotiations go haywire, the Los Angeles Lakers would be a second- or third-best option for many of these stars.
Per Bill Oram of The Athletic:
“The Lakers will now turn their attention to an offseason in which they are expected to revisit trade options for Davis, while also chasing top targets in free agency – as unlikely as it is that Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson will come, according to a league source who believes the Lakers will be second or third on those players’ lists. The fear that the Lakers could strike out with their top targets has already led to some message massaging.
“You don’t need names, you need games,” a source close to James told The Athletic. The Lakers could build a team of complementary pieces better suited for James, like Boston’s Marcus Morris or Milwaukee’s Nikola Mirotic, and fare better than they did this season. But it would run counter to Johnson’s stated philosophy. After all, on a World Series broadcast last fall, Johnson declared, “I’m going to get another superstar next summer!”
The Lakers are bound to have some competition for Anthony Davis in the asset-strong Boston Celtics and the Knicks, but if any of the aforementioned free agents hits a snag in negotiations, it won't take long for the Lakers to pounce on that opportunity.
