Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[KillerLeft]

They don't need to officially renounce his cap hold before they officially sign new players. His cap hold and potential SnT is not impacting the FA game unless it is bringing salary back or it drags deeper in July.

To be honest, I don't have any idea what the final LA plan is. But, they need to strike big this summer or jobs will be on the line. I would also be very surprised if main things aren't lined up already, for whatever they might be.

...which it VERY likely would need to do, given the mature, contending teams in which LeBron is likely have interest, and vice versa. I suppose there are teams who might sign up to be a third team and eat salary, but that would make it more costly on LeBron's new team (and lesson the benefit for the Lakers to facilitate the deal, probably). 

All of that to say, I view the LeBron sign and trade option as "either/or" with a big free agency splash made by the Lakers, not "in addition to." To your point, it's not impossible, but I DON'T think LeBron is going to play for the MLE. I think we're talking about a BIG sign and trade. This is just my prediction, however.