"They’re just not gonna help LeBron" - NBA analyst ties Bulls' no-deal stance with Lakers to safeguard Michael Jordan's legacy
The LA Lakers will have a big decision on their hands this offseason with LeBron James in a position to exercise his player option in the final year of his extension. With the team hoping to rebound from a first-round exit in the playoffs, things are up in the air. The franchise is on a search for a new coach, while the front office also looks to address their roster problem.
While reports have indicated that the franchise could look to make a big move in acquiring Donovan Mitchell, there's also a need for roleplayers. Assuming James opts into the final year of his extension, the team will still be faced with the possibility of filling various team needs amid roster turnover.
Many fans have expected the Lakers to pursue Alex Caruso, who won the title with the Lakers in the NBA Bubble. After the win, Caruso parted ways, signing a four-year $36.9 million deal that runs through the upcoming 2024-25 season.
According to Eric Pincus and Jovan Buha in a podcast, the Bulls don't want LeBron James to close in on Michael Jordan's legacy. With the future Hall of Famer looking to capture a fifth title, the Bulls reportedly have no interest in helping the Lakers fill out their roster.
“Their owner doesn’t want LeBron infringing upon Michael’s legacy. … the intel is that they’re just not gonna help LeBron.”
Looking at the LA Lakers potential offseason moves, and roster turnover
This offseason, the LA Lakers will have six players who will be faced with player options. Apart from LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish will decide whether they want to return or hit free agency.
Of those players, D'Angelo Russell has been tied to reports indicating that he's likely to test the open market. Anthony Davis, meanwhile, is expected to return to the team, while LeBron James' status up in the air.
Moreover, Taurean Prince, Max Christie and Spencer Dinwiddie will also hit free agency after their contracts expire. That leaves the team with a number of players on guaranteed deals:
Rui Hachimura
Austin Reaves
Gabe Vincent
Jarred Vanderbilt
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Maxwell Lewis
The biggest name tied to the Lakers in free agency has, of course, been Donovan Mitchell, who could part ways with the Cleveland Cavaliers. If the Lakers pursue Mitchell, given the exchange of salaries, they would have to sacrifice depth.
Either Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, or some combination of one of the aforementioned players, Gabe Vincent and a roleplayer plus draft picks would need to be packaged.
That would not only clear out the team's depth but also significantly hinder their ability to round out the roster with players in free agency beyond those on minimum deals.
With the offseason to figure things out, it will be interesting to see how the franchise winds up handling their slew offseason decisions. In the meantime, one thing is certain: the Chicago Bulls won't be offering any assistance.