Getty LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
If the Los Angeles Lakers are serious about giving LeBron James the tools to help them contend for a championship, there could be a ready-made superstar gearing up to hit the market.
According to BetOnline.ag, the Lakers rank among the favorites to land James Harden should decline the player option on his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers for next season.
Odds on James Harden’s next team, if not the 76ers, per @betonline_ag:
Rockets 2/1
Heat 5/1
Celtics 7/1
Mavericks 7/1
Lakers 8/1
Knicks 8/1
Bulls 9/1
Clippers 10/1
Spurs 10/1
Hawks 12/1
Nuggets 12/1
The Lakers are currently searching for an additional star to help LeBron carry the load, especially now that Anthony Davis has succumbed to injury and Los Angeles is seemingly unable to string wins together without the superstar forward.
However, Harden is currently in a good situation with the 76ers, so it remains to be seen if he would be willing to leave in the off-season to join a Los Angeles team that has struggled for relevancy since winning the 2020 NBA Championship.
LeBron James Airs His Frustrations Following Loss
On December 28, shortly after the Lakers fell to the Miami Heat, LeBron used his post-game press conference to air out his frustrations with the Lakers’ current situation, noting how he’s not willing to play basketball without chasing a ring.
“I’m a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio,” LeBron told reporters following the game.
Despite his advancing years, LeBron, 37, is still playing at an elite level and is currently averaging 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 59% from two-point range, 29.7% from deep, and 75.2% from the free-throw line.
James Harden May Be Interested In Leaving Philadelphia
According to a Christmas Day report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden may be interested in leaving the 76ers at the end of the current season, with his eyes currently set on a return to the Houston Rockets.
“I’m told, as of now, James Harden absolutely is considering the possibility of returning to Houston in free agency if he does not stay with Sixers on a new deal.”
— @wojespn
“I’m told that James Harden is seriously considering a return to Houston in free agency this July if he decides against coming back to Philly on a new deal…I’m told as of now, James Harden is absolutely considering the possibility of returning to Houston in free agency if he does not stay with the Sixers on a new deal,” Wojnarowski said.
Of course, if Harden is truly keen on a return to the Rockets, the Lakers will need to do their best to try and change his mind and convince him he can win a championship by teaming up with LeBron and Davis despite the events of recent years.
Furthermore, it will be interesting to see if the Rockets share Harden’s interest in a reunion because, currently, their roster is brimming with young high-upside talent, which they may not want to disrupt. As such, the Lakers may be listed among the favorite to land Harden during the off-season, but seeing ‘the beard’ in purple and gold is still an unlikely occurrence – especially if the Lakers fail to make the post-season for the second season in a row.