The Los Angeles Lakers saw their season come to an end in Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Los Angeles lost 108-106 as Jamal Murray knocked down his second game-winner in eight days. As the franchise turns to the offseason, LeBron James’ future tops the list of priorities. The Lakers are reportedly willing to appease to the four-time NBA MVP to ensure he retires with the franchise. Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic shared:
The Lakers, team sources say, would be open to discussing any deal that involves James coming back — including even the maximum three-year, $164 million extension they can offer. Playing through a three-year deal would put him at 42 by the end of the contract.
What’s more, team sources say the Lakers are very open to the prospect of helping LeBron fulfill his dream of playing with his son Bronny by potentially drafting him. [h/t The Athletic]
LeBron holds a player option for next season, however, him returning to Los Angeles remains the likeliest scenario for his 22nd season. While the four-time NBA champion remained noncommittal about his future following the Game 5 loss, his relationship with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss is said to be stronger than ever.
James continued to play at an elite level in his age-39 season. He averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. The 20-time All-Star shot 54.0% from the field, 41.0% from three-point range and 75.0% from the free-throw line.
Los Angeles Lakers unlikely to bring back Darvin Ham
The Los Angeles Lakers could have a different leader next season. Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic shared that Darvin Ham is unlikely to return, writing:
The Lakers’ unflattering finish leaves Ham’s future as head coach in serious peril, multiple league and team sources tell The Athletic, with some stakeholders indicating it’s highly unlikely he’ll return. The plan is to reassess everything that went wrong in the coming days before making a final decision. [h/t The Athletic]
Los Angeles’ front office reportedly believed that the team was built for a deeper run in the postseason. They questioned Ham’s rotations, game plans, and lack of adjustments. His decision to bench D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves during a stretch in which the Lakers lost 10 of 13 games was viewed as a key turning point in his tenure as many felt he failed to play their best players around Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Finally, the two stars were reportedly frustrated with the head coach – something which was notable during the postseason. It is unclear how Los Angeles will address the position if they move on from Ham. Assuming that James is back with the organization, him and Davis will likely have input on the next coach.
Thank you for reading The Dunk Central. Please follow us on Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite teams and players. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing NBA outlets!
