Seemingly every day there have been new reports and rumors surrounding LeBron James and whether or not he will join the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.
The most recent report said that he had actually texted two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to join him in Los Angeles.
Additionally, there have been a number of rumors surrounding the team’s pursuit of San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard. Many believe that the Lakers are desperate to acquire Leonard before the start of free agency because doing so will practically guarantee that James will join the purple and gold.
Now comes the conflicting reports as according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, not only did James not text Durant, but him joining the Lakers will not be controlled by the potential Leonard trade:
Sources close to LeBron: He didn't text KD and his going to the Lakers would not be sealed (or doomed) by whether or not they trade for Kawhi. … Man, we'll all be better when this is over, one way or the other
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) June 28, 2018
At this stage, there are so many different things flying around that it’s hard to know exactly what to believe. Reportedly, Leonard is skeptical of playing with James because of the attention and spotlight that James brings as well, but the validity is unknown.
Furthermore, there is still the other question as to whether Paul George will sign with the Lakers, which was long believed to be the case, but now is in question as some think he will remain with Oklahoma City.
In due time, these questions will all be answered as free agency is just days away and we will see if the Leonard trade will become a reality either for the Lakers or somewhere else.
As part of our efforts to help you understand how we handle the personal information you share with us, and in preparation for the new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we’ve updated our Privacy & Cookies Policy. The updated Privacy & Cookies Policy will take effect on May 22, 2018. By using our services on or after that date, you’ll be agreeing to our updated Privacy & Cookies Policy. We recommend that you read our updated Privacy & Cookies Policy in full.