Lakers: Imagining a Kevin Durant-LeBron James Super Team

Along with the vast majority of teams, the Los Angeles Lakers will have an abundance of cap space this offseason and will look to make a splash

With the cap reportedly set to rise from around $70 million to approximately $92 million in the 2016-2017 season, nearly every team will being looking to acquire big name free agents. Armed with the decision to opt out of his current contract, this off season the prize is Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant.

However, a name that has been long overlooked in regards to the pending free agency period is the biggest fish of them all: LeBron James.

Earlier this week, it was reported by RealGM that the rising cap, “makes everything wide open” in regards to Durant. This news was followed up by BleacherReport reporting that LeBron James isn’t a sure thing to stay in Cleveland past this season.

With both of their respective teams gearing up for the playoffs, things are constantly changing but it’s nice to take a break from the Golden State Warriors’ dominance once in a while to ponder some hypotheticals.

While nothing is imminent, or even being talked about to be honest, the thought occurred to me: if given the chance, why wouldn’t Kevin Durant and LeBron James want to team up and form yet another James’ super team?

Despite playing the same position, the duo have proven their ability to play together on multiple occasions with Team USA. Further, if each is as serious about winning rings as they say, wouldn’t pairing the two of the top three consensus best players in the NBA be a huge step at accomplishing just that?

More so, LeBron James recent “endorsement” of playing power forward and Kevin Durant’s interesting stint at point guard, demonstrates how versatile a KD-LBJ lineup really could be.

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If both LeBron and Durant decide to opt out of their current contracts, you can be sure that almost every team in the league will be selling them on these exact same points.

In specific regards to the Lakers, for a while now, I’ve said thought that the only coach capable of fixing this squad is actually a player in LeBron James.

Just look at what he did for Cleveland in his first time around. Can you even name the second best player on the Cavaliers between 2003-2010?

Offensively, their ceiling is limitless. In regards to defense, LeBron’s prowess is well documented and while Kevin Durant’s perimeter defense has been exposed in recent games by the likes of Jamal Crawford and Stephen Curry, he’s by no means a slouch on defensive; at 6’10 with nearly a 7’5 wingspan it’s almost an impossible feat to achieve.

An immeasurably long, switch heavy line up of Lebron and KD would be a nightmare for opposing teams.

Using Anthony Davis’ recent contract extension as reference, with both players contracts’ going to draw upwards of $25 million a season, only a few teams have the capacity of actually paying them such. However, if the prospect is available, any team would be wild not to do their best to clear the necessary cap space.

According to Basketball Insiders’, “NBA’s Best/Worst Case 2016-17 Cap Projections,” based on their best case scenarios, the only teams currently capable of pulling off such a feat are the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and perhaps the Philadelphia 76ers.

Again, nothing is imminent, but as a basketball purist, the mere thought of a Kevin Durant-LeBron James super team has me salivating, regardless of the actual team, if solely to give the Warriors and Spurs a run for their money.

Next: ESPN Insiders Ask If D'Angelo Is the Next Super Star PG

While a lot would have to happen for any of this to pan out, in the words of Kevin Garnett, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!”

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