Category: Basketball

The biggest story in basketball this summer will be where LeBron James decides to end his NBA career after informing the Los Angeles Lakers that he wouldn’t be returning.

James is no stranger to scrutiny, as he has had pundits and fans criticize every move he has made throughout his iconic career. And this decision to leave the Lakers is no different.

LeBron’s wife, Savannah James, has had to hear these critics throughout LeBron’s NBA tenure. And while she rarely speaks out about it, she felt compelled to say something during the July 7 episode of her “Everybody’s Crazy” podcast.

Savannah’s co-host, April McDaniel, was speaking about how positive their podcast’s community is before noting that this positivity isn’t the norm these days, especially on social media. She then said, “I think people build up things to crush them.”

“You think that? That is a fact,” Savannah responded.

“I feel like that’s the hard part with LeBron,” McDaniel added. “Being such an icon, how negative people can be. I’m like, ‘Can y’all get a life?'”

Savannah nodded in agreement before adding, “It’s crazy.”

Savannah then added, “People have definitely made careers out of talking about [LeBron]. Like… [critics having] a subjective opinion about what everybody thinks is the best thing. But to be on the other side of it, it’s like, ‘No, it’s not.’ They make careers out of that.”

While Savannah wasn’t speaking specifically about criticism about LeBron’s free agency decision, the timing of the episode suggests that this was the basis of her comments.

Ultimately, LeBron is among the world’s best when it comes to not worrying about any criticism he faces. But one can’t blame him or Savannah for getting frustrated about it from time to time.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but they may have a more difficult road to get there this upcoming season. Several teams in the East have improved, the Indiana Pacers should be back to being a contender with the assumed return of Tyrese Haliburton, and the New York Knicks are expected to have their entire starting lineup back next season.

To keep things simple, we’re going to focus on the teams that improved through outside moves. Let’s get into the four options for the survey.

The Miami Heat vaulted back into the periphery of the title conversation by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s reasons to be skeptical about the type of team they can assemble around him during his first season, but there’s no denying that a front court of him and Bam Adebayo is a pretty good place to start building from.

The Philadelphia 76ers may be the biggest winners of the offseason so far. Swapping out Paul George for Jaylen Brown is an immediate win. That should put them in the running to be one of the favorites to come out of the conference.

The Toronto Raptors aren’t getting as much buzz as Philadelphia, but have a solid argument that they’re a better team. The group that the Cavs faced in the first round last season was formidable. Replacing Kawhi Leonard with Brandon Ingram is a massive upgrade on both sides of the floor. There are questions about Leonard’s health, but if he’s on the court, the fit should be phenomenal.

Lastly, it’s worth talking about the Boston Celtics here. Even though they’re rightly viewed as losers of the offseason with the Brown trade, the Celtics always seem to get much more out of the roster than many on the outside anticipate. Maybe Brad Stevens knows something that we don’t.

With that backdrop, which of the Cavs’ opponents improved most this offseason? Let us know in the survey and tell us why you voted how you did in the comments.

If there’s one thing that Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka loves, it’s lying about Kobe Bryant. If there are two things he loves, it’s lying about Kobe and signing former Golden State Warriors centers.

Pelinka got to do the latter on Tuesday as the Lakers agreed to a one-year minimum deal with longtime Warrior and three-time champion Kevon Looney. After one season with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Ground-Bound Mound of Rebound is headed to the Crpyto.Com Arena, where he will back up $130-million-dollar man Walker Kessler and rack up a ton of rebounds.

He’ll join a group of big men that became irresistible to Pelinka and the Lakers after spending time in Warriors blue and gold. Since 2019, Pelinka has acquired the following Warriors big men:

• JaVale McGee
• DeMarcus Cousins
• Jordan Bell
• Alfonzo McKinnie
• Damian Jones
• Juan Toscano-Anderson

Looney joins a remade Lakers team, where they’ve committed over half a billion in contracts to their new Big Three of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Kessler, which doesn’t even account for the massive increase in the team’s Coppertone budget. Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes are out, and two excellent defensive rebounders are in, which makes a lot of sense given the presence of high-volume shooters like Doncic, Reaves, and new backup guard Collin Sexton. Normally we’d suggest Looney could be an alley-oop threat for the lob-loving Doncic, but Big Loon has had to catch passes, land, and jump again since 2021. He’s a serious high-percentage layup threat, though!

The Warriors drafted Looney with the No. 30 pick in 2015 out of UCLA, following their own obsession with players from Milwaukee. Looney had multiple surgeries in his first two NBA seasons, which limited him to five games in 2015-16 and kept him out of the 2017 playoffs. Before the 2017-18 season, Looney dropped 30 pounds, stepped up his defense, and ended up playing 66 games and averaging 18.4 minutes during the team’s title run, stepping into the starting lineup for the last four games against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals.

He never quite had job security with the Warriors. The team declined their fourth-year option on Looney before is third season, but Looney came back on a $1.6M deal for 2018-19, a season where he averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while starting 24 games ahead of injured centers Damian Jones and DeMarcus Cousins. In what would prove to be a habit in big games, Looney grabbed 14 rebounds and scored 12 points in the clinching Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals over the Portland Trail Blazers. In the NBA Finals, Looney played through a broken collarbone as the Warriors lost in six games.

Looney was considered a veteran leader despite being one of the younger players on the team. Rookie big man Jordan Bell was one asked if he benefited from the wisdom of veterans like Looney, and had to remind the reporter than Looney was a year younger than him. In later seasons, Looney was the bridge between the Warriors’ two timelines, as a guy who looked, played, and acted like a grizzled veteran yet didn’t turn 30 until last season, the 11th of his career.

In the 2022 playoffs, Looney became an absolute monster on the glass. He grabbed 22 boards in the closeout Game 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies. He had a 21-and-12 game against the Dallas Mavericks and an 18-rebound effort in the clinching game. In the finals, Looney slowed down Jayson Tatum and averaged 7.5 rebounds.

In 2023, Looney averaged 15 rebounds in the first-round win over the Sacramento Kings, and Domantas sabonis has never been the same after Looney crushed his with three 2-rebound efforts, followed by 23 board sin Game 1 against the Lakers. Perhaps that’s what Pelinka remembered.

Looney went through anxieties about his contract nearly every offseason, since he always had a tradeable contract and it was often non-guaranteed. Still, he was a consummate professional for the Dubs and should provide the same for the Lake Show. Plus, he made up for some discount seasons for the Warriors by grabbing $8M last season.

It’ll be weird, terrible, and disappointing to see Looney in a Lakers uniform. At the same time, it didn’t seem like the Warriors were particualrly pursuing him. The consolation for Warriors fans is that Looney will only truly make an impact if the Lakers are missing lots of shots, so rooting for the beloved Looney is also rooting for other Lakers to fail.

In an uncertain season to come, that may be one thing for Warriors fans to climb to. Godspeed, Loon. Please don’t go Hollywood.

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed one of the members of their starting backcourt, Donovan Mitchell, to a new four-year extension earlier today. James Harden is expected to get a new deal shortly after he declined his player option for this upcoming season. As of now, he and the Cavs are just waiting to see how some of the other dominoes fall this summer before inking a new contract.

Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the framework and dollar amount for a new contract are already worked out between Harden and the Cavs. Depending on whether the Cavs can convince LeBron James to sign with them (or maybe another free agent), Harden is reportedly willing to spread that money over three years instead of two.

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Harden’s willingness to do this could greatly help the Cavs. A longer contract would mean a lower annual amount, which would help Cleveland if they decide they want access to the taxpayer mid-level exception or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. It’s worth noting that Mitchell’s new deal doesn’t go into effect until the 2027-28 season, so it has no impact on the cap for the upcoming season.

As it stands, the Cavs are $25.3 million under the first apron and $37.9 million under the second, not factoring in a new contract for Harden. Teams under the first apron have access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (up to $15 million). But if the Cavs used that or a portion of that, they would be capped at the first apron.

Presumably, Harden wouldn’t be taking a big enough discount to give the Cavs enough room under the first apron to have access to a meaningful portion of that $15 million. However, his signing for a lower annual value, combined with trading or stretching a player like Dennis Schroder, could help them do so. There’s also the taxpayer midlevel exception of $6 million the Cavs could access if they’re under the second apron but above the first.

Whether or not Harden signs for a three-year deal likely depends on LeBron’s decision. As of now, the Cavaliers are in a holding pattern waiting for James.

Last season, Harden averaged 23.6 points and eight assists in 70 combined regular season games for both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Cavs.

Each day of LeBron James’ free agency sweepstakes seems to bring another interesting twist or update. This has certainly been the case when it comes to which team ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst is hearing LeBron will land with.

Last week, Windhorst asserted that the Philadelphia 76ers were the favorites to land James, citing the close relationship between James and 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey as a key reason why this connection might happen.

But Windhorst has switched his sentiment up, as he suggested that the Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be the favorite to sign James right now during a July 7 appearance on ESPN Cleveland. Although this report comes with an important caveat.

“People in the league think that it’s pointing towards Cleveland. But they are operating off vibes,” Windhorst said. “And if you ask me, ‘Are the vibes pointing towards Cleveland?’ Yeah, the vibes are pointing towards Cleveland. But it’s just vibes.”

Windhorst reiterated that there isn’t any proper sourcing attached to this report, further asserting that that sentiment that James could be heading back to Cleveland is based on “vibes” right now.

But this still shows Windhorst is walking back his past comments about the 76ers being the most likely landing spot for James.

Perhaps this “report” from Windhorst should be taken with a grain of salt, given that it’s predicated on “vibes” and that Windhorst had another team as the favorite to land James last week. But Windhorst wouldn’t be talking about these “vibes” publicly if he didn’t believe they were the case.

James recently spent Fourth of July weekend in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, which is less than an hour away from Cleveland. He has spent two separate stints on the Cavaliers so far, and star guard Donovan Mitchell (who just signed a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension with the Cavaliers) has been clear about his interest in joining forces with James.

While a lot can change regarding where James will end up, the Cavaliers are firmly in the race at this point.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to make the finishing touches on an incomplete roster, but there’s one free agent the team likely isn’t signing.

DeMar DeRozan hit free agency after the Sacramento Kings waived him. The team explored trade options for the DeRozan, but nothing transpired and the two sides mutually agreed to part ways.

According to ESPN insider Dave McMenamin, the Lakers aren’t considered a potential landing spot for the veteran guard.

There were rumblings regarding the Lakers’ interest in DeRozan, since the two sides had mutual interest most notably in 2021. However, DeRozan is no longer a fit for the Lakers heading into the 2026-27 season.

LA’s roster is missing a versatile wing defender and backup center. DeRozan is neither.

While the Lakers may not have any interest in DeRozan, he is a top free agent of the summer and should likely garner interest from other teams around the league.

General manager Rob Pelinka has orchestrated a massive overhaul with the Lakers set to look much different for the upcoming campaign. The Lakers have already made a majority of their offseason moves, but the team is working to sign free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga.

The 23-year-old reportedly isn’t enticed by the current Lakers offer, which leaves Pelinka with the tall task of maneuvering players in order to acquire more cap space to sign Kuminga. That’s easier said than done, but the Lakers have limited options as many free agents are already off the board.

The Lakers got their backup big man when Kevon Looney signed a one-year, $3.9-million deal on Tuesday, people not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.

The 6-foot-9 Looney won three championships with the Golden State Warriors, in 2017, 2018 and 2021. He played last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Looney, 30, is an 11-year veteran who went to UCLA. He’s a strong rebounder, very good defender and sets solid screens for teammates.

Looney will be the backup behind starter Walker Kessler, who was acquired in a trade from the Utah Jazz and agreed to a four-year, $130-million deal. The Lakers traded last season’s starting center, Deandre Ayton, and backup Jaxson Hayes signed with the Jazz.

The Lakers now have a 14-man roster and have room for another player.

Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people with knowledge of the situation who said L.A. is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga, the sort of athletic wing player the Lakers need to start at small forward.

He has the size (6-7) and is young (23). He averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and shot 33.3% from three-point range last season while playing for the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

A quiet offseason and the Los Angeles Lakers don't exactly mesh.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has been busy this summer, finding deals and bringing in players to help mold the purple and gold into championship contention. His latest move is adding a former three-time NBA champion into the fold.

Los Angeles agreed to sign veteran free agent center Kevon Looney to a one-year deal worth $3.9 million, Life Sports Agency CEO Todd Ramasar told ESPN.

Looney was one of the top available backup centers in the free agency pool, a position that L.A. needed to address. The Lakers made a deal to get Walker Kessler as their starter. They dealt last year's starting center, Deandre Ayton, to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks. Last year's backup center, Jaxson Hayes, signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Utah Jazz.

Jayson Tatum gives first reaction to Celtics' Jaylen Brown trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown formed one of the NBA’s best duos for many years. But that tandem is no longer intact after the Boston Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers last week for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

It was a stunning trade that saw Brown go to a longtime Celtics rival, one that knocked Boston out of the 2026 playoffs with a Game 7 win at TD Garden back in May.

Tatum spent nine seasons as a teammate of Brown’s in Boston after being drafted in 2017.

He reacted publicly to the trade for the first time Tuesday night at an event in Newton where he was promoting his new children’s book.

“To be honest, it’s weird,” Tatum told the crowd, as seen in the video player above. “You play on a team with a guy for nine years, who I was fortunate enough to go to the Finals with twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today.

“The NBA is an incredible business, it’s an incredible job, but there are some downsides to the business that we’re in. And moments like this, where you just kind of feel like you’re going to be on the team with somebody, because that’s all you know.

“And then it’s just like, one day you find out that they’re no longer on your team anymore. And we’re all humans. We feel all those emotions. Going into the facility, and knowing that you have different teammates, and somebody that you’ve been to war with, essentially, is on a different team.”

He continued: “It’s tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and times that we had. Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t super successful. Some great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization.”

Tatum and Brown helped the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference Finals five times and the NBA Finals twice during their time together, including a championship in 2024.

The Celtics’ roster will look plenty different next season. In addition to Brown’s departure, the C’s have added George (trade), Mitchell Robinson (free agent) and Mike Conley Jr. (free agent) to the team so far this offseason.

“The tough part is you miss teammates, but then you have new teammates, and you want to welcome those guys and accept them and move forward with them,” Tatum said. “So there is a balance there.”

Former NBA star Lamar Odom is expected to enter a plea deal in a DUI case in Las Vegas, according to his defense attorney.

Odom, 46, was arrested Jan. 17 and later charged with driving under the influence, speeding and failure to stay in a driving lane. He pleaded not guilty in March.

Odom plans to enter a no-contest plea that will reduce his initial DUI charge to a reckless driving charge, according to his attorney, Michael Becker. Through a no-contest plea, Odom will accept the terms of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office without admitting guilt.

He was scheduled for a bench trial Tuesday in Las Vegas Justice Court, but the court hearing was continued for a plea entry later this month. He is not expected to appear in person, according to Becker.

The Clark County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately return requests for comment.

On Jan. 17, a Nevada State Police Highway Patrol trooper observed Odom speeding along a Las Vegas highway and switching lanes without a turn signal, according to the arrest report. When pulled over, Odom allegedly had bloodshot eyes and smelled of marijuana, the trooper said in the arrest report.

Odom denied drinking alcohol and told the trooper that the passenger was smoking marijuana, according to the report. The trooper found the field sobriety tests “unsatisfactory,” saying Odom failed to touch the tip of his nose with his finger and lost his balance.

Odom won championships in 2009 and 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks during a 14-year NBA career.

His 2013 marriage to reality TV star Khloe Kardashian was tabloid fodder, and the couple’s wedding was showcased on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” They divorced months later. That same year, Odom was arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles. He later pleaded no contest and received three years of probation.

In 2015, Odom made headlines after suffering a medical episode during a stay at a legal brothel in Nevada called Love Ranch. In the arrest report, Odom allegedly told the trooper that he had 12 strokes and six heart attacks and was “poisoned at the brothel in Pahrump.”

Warriors reportedly don't match Grizzlies' $30 million Quinten Post offer sheet originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors are losing a valuable member of their frontcourt to NBA free agency.

After center Quinten Post signed a three-year, $30 million offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors reportedly have decided not to match it, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday, citing sources.

Golden State had until 8:59 p.m. PT on Tuesday to match the Grizzlies’ offer sheet. Instead, the 2024 No. 52 overall pick out of Boston College appears to be on his way to Memphis.

Per Charania, it’s the first time since 2020 that an NBA team has lost a player to an offer sheet, when the Sacramento Kings declined to match the Atlanta Hawks’ four-year, $72 million offer to Bogdan Bogdanovic.

In two seasons with the Warriors, Post averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.9 minutes across 109 games (49 starts). The 7-foot stretch big man was a key 3-point threat for Golden State, shooting 36.4 percent from behind the arc on over four attempts per game.

Though he carved out a significant role in the Bay, the Dutch native was set to enter the 2026-27 NBA season as the No. 3 center on the Warriors’ depth chart, behind returning veterans Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis.

In the end, as Golden State persists in their courtship of LeBron James this offseason, general manager Mike Dunleavy apparently decided $30 million was more than they were willing to offer Post right now.

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After making a flurry of signings early in free agency, the Lakers appear to be fully focused on Jonathan Kuminga as their next target.

Since the Hawks declined his team option to make Kuminga an unrestricted free agent, the Lakers have been linked to the five-year wing. Now that Rui Hachimura has joined the Clippers, the Lakers are even more in need of Kuminga’s services and continue to talk with his representation.

On Tuesday, Anthony Slater of ESPN reported that the Lakers met with Kuminga early in free agency but haven’t yet made an offer that’s convinced him that LA should be his new basketball home.

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to actively pursue unrestricted free agent wing Jonathan Kuminga, but they have not yet given him an enticing enough offer to commit, league sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
After his $24.3 million team option was declined by the Atlanta Hawks on June 29, Kuminga met virtually the next day with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick, who pitched him on a vision of being a high-minutes wing next to Luka Doncic in a spacious on-court environment conducive to his skill set, league sources told ESPN.

With how fast free agency moves, the Lakers couldn’t sit around and wait on Kuminga.

They’ve made multiple moves since that first conversation, including trading for Walker Kessler and adding Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Slater also reported in the piece that the Lakers are continuing to talk to Kuminga’s agent and have made it known he will likely start if he signs.

Pelinka has remained in touch with Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, subtly improving their offer in recent days, league sources told ESPN, while reiterating to Kuminga his importance to what the Lakers are building around Doncic, a likely starting role and what the opportunity could do for his career.

The fact that they’ve spoken with his agent again and improved their offer indicates they remain very interested in bringing him on. This deep into free agency, one could easily argue that Kuminga is the best wing available. With the Lakers focused on win-now moves, grabbing a player with his upside would be huge.

Considering how much of LA’s cap space is accounted for, it’s no surprise that the talking points President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka is selling to Kuminga during these meetings include his role and the opportunity to play well in an environment that gets a ton of national attention.

Kuminga being a starter with the Lakers sets up a scenario where he can take a deal here, bet on himself and improve his value around the league. The Lakers have gotten players before on deals where they came to LA to accomplish this.

Deandre Ayton is the most recent example. The Blazers bought him out and he came to the Lakers on a modest deal. Though that didn’t necessarily work out with Ayton now reportedly being traded to the Wizards, the idea is a good one and could work for Kuminga.

Still, Kuminga hasn’t bought what the Lakers front office is selling. Slater notes in his piece that Kuminga is still waiting for potentially improved deals, which could come as “offseason dominoes continue to fall.” Considering the Cavs are also reported as one of the teams interested in him, it appears there’s a LeBron-sized elephant in the room.

Pelinka has made some big moves this summer, so we’ll see if he can pull off another by bringing in a relatively young wing with tremendous upside.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Until now, Luka Dončić was shielded. 

He has never seen how bright the spotlight is in Los Angeles.

He has never felt the crushing weight of carrying the 17-time champion Lakers. 

He has never experienced the intense scrutiny that comes with leading one of the biggest names in sports. 

Until now, Dončić shared the heat with LeBron James. 

When the Lakers sputtered, the world pointed its finger at the man who has been the face of the league for two decades. Even though James is 41 years old, he’s still the most talked-about basketball player in the world. No one receives more criticism. 

Now James is gone. 

And all of that pressure is on Dončić. 

The 27-year-old never asked for this. He wanted to spend his entire career in Dallas before a shocking trade in February 2025 sent him to the Lakers. 

Some players love the attention that comes with being a superstar in Los Angeles. Magic Johnson wowed us with his charisma. Kobe Bryant intoxicated us with his intensity. James captivated us with his aura.  

Dončić is different. He’s private. He’s reserved. He prefers to let his game do his talking. 

He’s in for a reckoning. 

The Lakers are now his. He’s front and center in the storm with no one to help block the wind. 

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Dončić played a major role in constructing the Lakers’ current roster and he’s going to shoulder the blame if they struggle. 

He wanted Austin Reaves to remain his teammate.

The Lakers made sure he wouldn’t walk in free agency, signing him to a monster four-year, $185 million contract, the maximum other teams were allowed to pay him.

He asked for Walker Kessler. 

The Lakers responded by emptying their treasure chest, shipping two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to Utah and penning Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal. 

He didn’t love playing alongside Deandre Ayton. 

The Lakers dealt him to Washington in exchange for Jaden Hardy and a pair of second-round draft picks in 2031 and 2032. 

He wanted the Lakers to build a roster similar to the Mavericks team he led to the Finals in 2024. 

The Lakers completely overhauled the team, adding Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, and Quentin Grimes.

Everyone who started for the Lakers in the first-round of the playoffs is gone, including James, Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart. 

If the Lakers can compete with the elite teams in the West, Dončić will be celebrated.

If they fall short?

Dončić better prepare for the finger to be pointed his direction. 

We all saw how James’ relationship with the Lakers fractured after the superstar persuaded the franchise to break up its 2020 championship core to acquire Russell Westbrook, which turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. 

If Kessler doesn’t transform into an All-Star, you can bet Dončić will receive some of the blame for the Lakers emptying their clip and having zero tradable first-round picks over the next SEVEN years. 

So far, Dončić has only seen glimpses of what it’s like to be the face of the Lakers. 

He readied himself for the scrutiny by spending last summer getting into arguably the best shape of his career. 

He tried to keep his head above water when his contentious child custody battle with his ex-fiancée over their daughters took over the news cycle last season. 

He made jaws drop when he averaged 37.6 points, 7.8 assists and 7.4 rebounds during a 12-game span amid the Lakers’ 16-2 run last spring. 

He made stomachs sink when he suffered a strained hamstring in April that sidelined him for the entire postseason. 

Despite all of that, James was still the talk of the town. 

The narratives surrounding him were piercingly loud. 

Can LeBron once again beat Father Time in his unprecedented 23rd season? Are the Lakers better without him? Will he embrace being the team’s third option? Can he carry the Lakers in the postseason without Dončić and Reaves? Was leading the Lakers past the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs his greatest achievement yet? Is he retiring? If he doesn’t retire, will he wear a Laker uniform next season? 

Dončić will no longer be able to hide behind all of that noise. 

The entire spotlight will be on him. 

His play will be scrutinized. His words will be dissected. He’ll be under a magnifying glass. He’ll be the talk of national sports shows. He’ll command all of the headlines. 

It’s the type of attention that can propel a player to reach his potential—or sink him. 

Next season will be Dončić’s real test. 

He has been a Laker for a while now. 

But he’s about to see what that really means. 

The Los Angeles Lakers have interest in signing unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but there's a hold up.

It seems there's mutual interest from Kuminga and his camp, however, the 23-year-old wants to weigh out all of his options in the event there's a better deal on the table, according to ESPN.

The Lakers are offering Kuminga a starting role, playing high minutes alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. ESPN reported that there are many within the Lakers' brass that feel his skill set is a fit with Dončić and head coach JJ Reddick's offensive scheme.

However, Kuminga and his agent Aaron Turner are not yet sold on that idea in belief that there are other routes they can take.

Here are potential landing spots for Jonathan Kuminga: