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One of the most front-and-center rivals of the Phoenix Suns are going to look drastically different compared to the last few seasons.
LeBron James informed the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday morning that he will look playing elsewhere next season, officially ending an eight-year run with the franchise.
This decision will have serious consequences for the Suns - regardless of who James ends up playing for in his 24th season.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin dropped a fascinating tidbit surrounding the progression of James' free agency on Wednesday afternoon in the form of revealing that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul has been given the authority to speak to all interested teams to sell pitches prior to making an ultimate decision.
Follow what this means for the Suns and their offseason below.
Lakers Will Struggle to Compete in 2026-27
The Lakers' starting five in the season ahead in the absence of James is projected to be Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Deandre Ayton. This isn't an optimal lineup for Doncic to be at his absolute apex with, as Vanderbilt is severely limited offensively, while he is the only above-average defender that is projected here as well.
There's certainly a world in which the Suns finish with a better record than Los Angeles in lieu of the major news, particularly when bringing up the notion that the former will face better injury luck in the season ahead, while it can be assumed that the Lakers are at risk of missing Doncic for an extended period once again.
Could Suns Make Play at James?
The McMenamin report is eye-opening for Suns fans, as the implication is that James will hear out any and all involved parties. GM Brian Gregory and governor Mat Ishbia have worked in recent years to repair a fractured relationship that previously existed with Klutch when the Suns were under previous ownership.
Jordan Goodwin, Collin Gillespie, Khaman Maluach, and Koa Peat are the four players on the roster currently rostered by the Suns, with Goodwin being a previous teammate of James.
The three potential roadblocks that would prevent a deal are fairly straightforward if the Suns do show interest - the presence of Dillon Brooks on the roster, the question if Phoenix will seriously contend regardless of the move, and if James would be willing to take a discount to play for an organization that he only briefly flirted with back in 2014.
Regardless of the outcome, Suns fans should be optimistic about the direction of the franchise moving forward.
Join The SunsRoundtable
Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.
Continue reading...
LeBron James informed the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday morning that he will look playing elsewhere next season, officially ending an eight-year run with the franchise.
This decision will have serious consequences for the Suns - regardless of who James ends up playing for in his 24th season.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin dropped a fascinating tidbit surrounding the progression of James' free agency on Wednesday afternoon in the form of revealing that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul has been given the authority to speak to all interested teams to sell pitches prior to making an ultimate decision.
Follow what this means for the Suns and their offseason below.
Lakers Will Struggle to Compete in 2026-27
The Lakers' starting five in the season ahead in the absence of James is projected to be Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Deandre Ayton. This isn't an optimal lineup for Doncic to be at his absolute apex with, as Vanderbilt is severely limited offensively, while he is the only above-average defender that is projected here as well.
There's certainly a world in which the Suns finish with a better record than Los Angeles in lieu of the major news, particularly when bringing up the notion that the former will face better injury luck in the season ahead, while it can be assumed that the Lakers are at risk of missing Doncic for an extended period once again.
Could Suns Make Play at James?
The McMenamin report is eye-opening for Suns fans, as the implication is that James will hear out any and all involved parties. GM Brian Gregory and governor Mat Ishbia have worked in recent years to repair a fractured relationship that previously existed with Klutch when the Suns were under previous ownership.
Jordan Goodwin, Collin Gillespie, Khaman Maluach, and Koa Peat are the four players on the roster currently rostered by the Suns, with Goodwin being a previous teammate of James.
The three potential roadblocks that would prevent a deal are fairly straightforward if the Suns do show interest - the presence of Dillon Brooks on the roster, the question if Phoenix will seriously contend regardless of the move, and if James would be willing to take a discount to play for an organization that he only briefly flirted with back in 2014.
Regardless of the outcome, Suns fans should be optimistic about the direction of the franchise moving forward.
Join The SunsRoundtable
Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.
Continue reading...
