Inking a two-year, $85 million extension with LeBron James was a no-brainer for the Lakers, whose presence has reinstated their glamor and prestige.
Getting that commitment from LeBron was a true breath of relief for the organization, as it ensured they’d be relevant for years to come. On the flip side, it put them out of contention for another big-name player: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
For those wondering, this LeBron James extension puts an end to the Lakers’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 2, 2020
The Lakers gave up their cap flexibility to re-up LeBron, so they won’t have the money to sign Giannis to the max contract he’d no doubt require.
Giannis, 25, has emerged as one of the game’s elite players. A 4x All-Star, 2x MVP, and 4x All-NBA player, he has the talent to change the trajectory of an entire franchise overnight. At one point, the Lakers were hoping to add him alongside Bron and Davis to form a powerful big three, but that dream is over.
Interestingly, the Miami Heat also drastically hurt their chances by signing one of their own (Bam Adebayo) to an extension as well.
With two top teams seemingly pulling out of the race for Giannis, does this spell good news for the Bucks? Only time will tell.
