There could be another name on LeBron James’ list of stars he is willing to take a pay cut for to allow the Los Angeles Lakers to sign in NBA free agency. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan is also on this list of players. Klay Thompson, James Harden and Jonas Valančiūnas were initially named as players James was willing to take less money to help sign, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“Now, LeBron and Rich Paul met with the Lakers on this topic last week and they agreed, from what I am told, on a short list of players that LeBron would feel good about taking less money to get on the Lakers,” Windhorst detailed in a July 1, 2024 episode of “The Hoop Collective” podcast. “… I think there’s more than three [players].
“I think DeMar DeRozan is on that list as well and there may be another one or so. But here’s the thing… they don’t have those players to sign and to even get LeBron to take [less money]. Right now, it would take LeBron taking a 50% pay cut, five zero, about $25 million less, to get the Lakers in position to do that. Over the course of multiple years, that would potentially be a lot of money,” Windhorst continued.
“So, the Lakers are under some level of pressure to make a separate deal to clear some more space and that most likely would involve D’Angelo Russell. Could involve a player like Gabe Vincent. Could involve a player like Rui Hachimura, but probably is Russell because he is on the final year of his contract for $18 [million] and change, almost $19 million.”
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