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LeBron James Could Help Lakers Target James Harden in Free Agency

The Los Angeles Lakers could have a very interesting free agency

Joey Linn

Feb 18, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (left) and Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden share a laugh before their game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (left) and Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden share a laugh before their game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has opted out of the final year of his contract and will become an NBA free agent. The expectation is that James will re-sign a new deal with the Lakers, but the terms of that deal will be interesting.

In a recent report from Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, it was revealed that James could take a massive pay cut in order to give the Lakers financial flexibility to sign an impact player in free agency. The two names Haynes listed as players James would be willing to do that for: James Harden and Klay Thompson.

While Harden was one of the two names Haynes listed, is seems much more likely that Thompson would be the player LA adds in this scenario. Harden is widely expected to re-sign with the LA Clippers where he would be eligible for a much bigger contract than the Lakers could offer, even in the event James takes a massive pay cut.

Thompson is also expected to leave the Golden State Warriors, and a move to the Lakers would make a lot of sense for him. Harden being named feels more like a long shot than Thompson, but the star point guard is reportedly one of the players James would be interested in taking a pay cut for.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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