LeBron James Gave Lakers 'Short List' of Free Agents for Whom He'd Take Discount

The 20-time All-Star is willing to take a pay cut if it means L.A. can add one of his preferred vets.

Apr 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during the second half in game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

20-time Los Angeles Lakers All-Star combo forward LeBron James, through his agent and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, has revealed that he would be open to taking a discount on the three-year, $162 million maximum deal he could ink with L.A. as an unrestricted free agent this summer — if it meant the Lakers could add a veteran talent to the roster using a non-taxpayer mid-level exception (something the team's front office would otherwise not have access to, at least without making additional moves).

Now, two of the players who have been explicitly floated as preferred choices are already off the board, in center Jonas Valanciunas (who inked a three-year, $30 million deal to languish with the lowly Washington Wizards) and L.A. Clippers point guard James Harden (who signed an astronomical two-year, $70 million contract to remain with Los Angeles' second-favorite NBA squad). The third, former five-time All-Star Golden State Warriors wing Klay Thompson, is being pursued by both the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, the latter of whom are fresh off an NBA Finals berth and play in a locale with no state income taxes.

According to longtime LeBron James whisperer Brian Windhorst of ESPN, as he relayed in his "Hoop Collective Podcast," James literally gave Los Angeles brass a "short list" of his preferred names the team could sign to the MLE. That list did include Valanciunas, Harden and Thompson — as well as six-time All-Star Chicago Bulls small forward DeMar DeRozan, per Windhorst. He added that "one or two" other players could be in that group.

Los Angeles has had a quiet free agency period so far, outside of signing restricted free agent shooting guard Max Christie to a generous four-year, $32 million contract.

More Lakers: Prime Los Angeles Free Agent Target Heading To Eastern Conference Squad