McMenamin: Lakers are top option for LeBron James 'by a wide degree'

[ASFN Admin]

LeBron James may not end up retiring right after the end of this season, but it isn't exactly a certainty that he will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers moving forward. He seems content right now with his new role as their third scoring option, when they're healthy, but he could always opt to leave for whatever reason.

What is just about certain is that he will not get a contract that will pay him in the neighborhood of the $52.6 million he's being paid this season. The Lakers are projected to have at least roughly $50 million of salary cap space this offseason, but they will likely use some of that money to re-sign at least one of their other current players, including Austin Reaves.

But Dave McMenamin, who covers the Lakers for ESPN, said during a recent appearance on "Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective" that they appear to be the top option for the 41-year-old this summer (h/t Silver Screen and Roll).

“If you asked me in October or December, I’d probably have put retirement as the No. 1 option here. As of today covering LeBron with the Lakers winning 15 out of 17 games and accepting this role that I didn’t know if I’d ever see him actually accept being willingly this much off the ball, why wouldn’t he stay with the Lakers. It gives him all the off-court things that he values — his business empire, his family, his son’s on the team, his other son is a short flight away in Arizona…and they’re winning.

So, I think the only part of the equation that would be less desirable than other situations would be the money because the Lakers do intend to build this time around Luka Dončić and use their cap space to get younger and get two-way type players and talent. Quite frankly, they don’t have a ton of cap space after they re-sign Austin Reaves and Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard and maybe Rui Hachimura. It’s not like they have all this money…If he wants to come back, you’re not talking about a lot of money. That’s the sacrifice he would make. But everything else checks the box. So, the Lakers, I think, are the No. 1 by a wide degree at this point.”

The other team that has been discussed as a viable option for James next season is the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he spent 11 of his first 15 seasons with. But as of now, they're projected to only be able to offer him a veteran minimum contract, which would pay him just under $4 million. The Golden State Warriors have also come up as a possibility, but they also have very limited flexibility under the salary cap, and according to some sources, he isn't interested in joining them.

Staying with the Lakers would not only give James the off-the-court benefits McMenamin mentioned, but, of course, doing so would also give him the advantage of roster continuity and chemistry with at least a few of his current teammates.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: McMenamin: Lakers are top option for LeBron James 'by a wide degree'

Continue reading...