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Lakers Rumors: L.A. virtually a lock to land an All-Star next summer due to LeBron

By James Francuz

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 30: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs wait for a rebound during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on January 30, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Spurs 117-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 30: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs wait for a rebound during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on January 30, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Spurs 117-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers rumors will make fans happy, as the Lakers appear as if they are going to be major players next offseason, via David Aldridge.

Los Angeles Lakers rumors this season have been frequent. After signing LeBron James to a multi-year contract, the Los Angeles Lakers have become a relevant team once again. Despite five straight years of not making the playoffs, the trend is going to end.

It sheds light on the type of talent James is. While the man is 33, he averaged 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.1 assists in his 15th season. LeBron was undoubtedly the main reason the Cleveland Cavaliers got as far as they did in 2017-2018.

Surely enough, his presence will cause the Lakers to go a lot farther than they have in recent memory. To say otherwise would be blasphemous.

LeBron’s choice to come to L.A. is bound to alter the team’s future in another respect as well. Per TNT analyst David Aldridge, the Lakers are in excellent position with respect to next summer’s free agency class.

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Aldridge goes on to argue that the purple and gold are basically a lock to get another All-Star in 2019.

"“With James on the ground in L.A., the Lakers are all but assured to get one of the group of elite players who’ll be unrestricted in 2019 — Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker or someone else who shakes free or is otherwise available.”"

Kawhi Leonard has been linked to the Lake Show more than anyone out of the trio. With LeBron already aboard, adding a player of Leonard’s caliber would make the Lakers elite defensively.

Additionally, acquiring the Spurs’ superstar would take some pressure away from LeBron. Since Kawhi is quite a two-way threat, the Lakers would have a backup in case LBJ has a subpar game.

Klay Thompson is probably the most likely candidate to stay with his current team. The Golden State Warriors are back-to-back champions, so leaving a successful group like that would be tremendously tough.

However, according to Matthew Couden of Blasting News, one incentive could cause Klay to join another team. He thinks the Warriors’ shooting guard could be tempted to leave to receive “a better payday.”

If Thompson chooses L.A., the storied franchise would net one of the best shooters on the planet. Since the Lakers’ shooting was questionable at best this past year, this SG would quickly improve that area.

Granted Kemba Walker is the least enticing piece out of the three, he would give the Lakers a great offensive weapon. His nifty ball-handling skills make it a cinch for him to create opportunities for himself and his teammates. Walker is the central reason Charlotte has had any success over the last few years, so he would certainly make the Lakers a better squad.

Landing an All-Star like this would eliminate the sting of Paul George going back to OKC. It would catapult Los Angeles’ chances of getting back to championship contention.

Per Danny Small of ClutchPoints, there is another reason why next year’s free agency class is so important for the Lakers. Assuming L.A. is hell-bent on signing one of these three players, trading for Leonard right now should no longer be as big of a priority.

The Spurs have been asking the Lakers for far too much in exchange for Leonard. Therefore, exercising some patience (as difficult as that is) may be the best decision the Lakers can make.

While nothing can be known for sure, Aldridge’s report is an encouraging one. At the bare minimum, it reveals that the Lakers are becoming a desirable destination once again.

Next: 5 Reasons To Love The LeBron James Signing

Over the last few years, the opposite has been true in the City of Angels. In spite of that, LeBron James and the Lakers may have a lot to look forward to in the near future.

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