The calendar has officially turned to April and it is time for the Los Angeles Lakers to buckle down and make a run at the franchise's 18th NBA Championship. Los Angeles is currently the ninth seed in the Western Conference and has firmly established itself as the team no top seed wants to play in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
With the regular season winding down to a close, it is a busy time in the Lakers news cycle. Everything the team is doing is under a microscope, and with the offseason looming, the seeds are starting to be planted around any potential summer storylines.
With LeBron James' ominous comments coming the same day as a big return from injury, there is a lot to read about following Easter weekend. Let's dive into it.
Kobe Bryant's 2000 NBA Championship ring sells at auction
Kobe Bryant gifted his 2000 NBA Championship ring to his father and over the weekend it sold for a soaring price tag. Goldin sold the ring for $927,000, which gave the collectibles marketplace a massive profit return on the ring.
Goldin originally purchased the ring from Bryant's parents in 2013 for $173,000. Bryant's parents selling these gifts was something that Kobe publicly spoke out against, which led to a court case between Bryant and Golding that resulted in a settlement.
LeBron James flirts with retirement after Lakers beat Nets
LeBron James is defying everything we previously knew about aging as a professional athlete as he is still one of the best players in the entire league at 39 years old. LeBron turned back the clock against the Nets on Easter Sunday, leading the Lakers to a win with 40 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
It is no secret that LeBron is not a spring chicken and that there are not many more years for him left in the league. The NBA's all-time leading scorer reiterated that reality on Sunday, admitting that he does not have much time left in the NBA.
This could all be a leverage ploy by LeBron, and it is something he has done in the past. LeBron has a player option this offseason and reportedly wants an expensive new contract. With no other realistic landing spots for LeBron, threatening retirement might be the way to force the Lakers to pay up.
Gabe Vincent returns in Lakers' win over Nets, plays 14 minutes
After previous reports that he would not return this season, point guard Gabe Vincent officially returned for the Lakers on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. Vincent played 14 minutes and while he only scored two points with one rebound and one assist but he did play solid defense for LA.
Vincent does not have much of a ramp before the NBA Playoffs, so it will be interesting to see how Darvin Ham handles his minutes (especially in relation to Spencer Dinwiddie). Vincent played such a huge role in the Miami Heat's title run last year, and if he can replicate that for LA it would be huge.